Establishing the United States Council on Transnational Organized Crime
Executive Order 14060, signed in December 2021, creates a centralized interagency framework to counter transnational organized crime (TOC). It establishes the United States Council on Transnational Organized Crime (USCTOC), reporting to the President through the National Security Adviser, to guide a whole-of-government strategy. The order also creates a USCTOC Strategic Division within the Department of Justice to develop coordinated plans, coordinate agency actions, and prioritize TOC threats. It revokes the prior framework that had governed TOC efforts under a different executive order (EO 13773) and directs agencies to strengthen information sharing, disrupt illicit finance, leverage new technologies, and deepen cooperation with private sector partners and international allies. The plan includes accountability measures (reports from the Director of National Intelligence) and staffing/administrative provisions to support the interagency work. In practical terms, the EO aims to align federal efforts across national security, law enforcement, foreign policy, and economic tools to counter TOC networks that operate across borders. By formalizing coordination, establishing timelines, and incentivizing data and resource sharing, it seeks to improve the effectiveness of counter-TOC actions and reduce the influence and harm caused by TOC activities, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, illicit finance, cybercrime, and environmental crimes.
Key Points
- 1Establishment and purpose: Creates the United States Council on Transnational Organized Crime (USCTOC), which will monitor and coordinate whole-of-government counter-TOC efforts in line with Presidential policy priorities, reporting to the President via the National Security Adviser. It replaces the prior Threat Mitigation Working Group established under EO 13773.
- 2Membership and interagency roles: USCTOC includes the Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Defense, Attorney General, Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence. It may request other agencies to contribute personnel or resources as needed. The Council must meet within 60 days of the order and periodically thereafter.
- 3USCTOC Strategic Division: Establishes a division within the Department of Justice to produce coordinated strategic plans for the whole-of-government counter-TOC effort. It is chaired by a senior official from DOJ or DHS, with a two-year term, alternating chair selection between the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security.
- 4Staffing, resources, and reporting: Agencies are directed to provide personnel details, information, and resources to the Division, including secondments and data, for the Division’s work. The Division must develop ongoing processes to identify and prioritize TOC threats and must report its plans to the USCTOC. The Director of National Intelligence must submit an annual assessment of the IC’s TOC-related collection posture and resource needs, with a 120-day implementation/reporting timeline.
- 5Policy emphasis and tools: The order emphasizes strengthening information sharing, illicit finance tools, and the deployment of new technologies to identify and disrupt TOC threats. It also calls for collaboration with private entities, international organizations, and partner nations to build capacity and disrupt TOC networks abroad and at home.