The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) reports that federal agencies have prevented more than 6,500 known or suspected terrorists (KSTs) from entering the United States in recent months, reflecting a surge in enforcement following Trump-era policy shifts.
Officials credit the designation of several transnational criminal organizations as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) for enabling law enforcement to act decisively against high-risk individuals.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data show that agency officers, along with Border Patrol agents, apprehended more than 3,000 KSTs in fiscal year 2025—surpassing the previous high of 1,903 recorded under the Biden administration.
Critics argue that prior policies allowed suspected terrorists to enter largely unchecked, raising serious national security concerns.
The Trump administration’s approach prioritized the identification, detention and removal of KSTs, marking a notable contrast.
Historically, most KST apprehensions occurred along the northern border, according to The Center Square.
Between fiscal years 2021 and 2024, 64 percent—1,216 individuals—were stopped attempting to cross from Canada.
This year’s surge is tied to Trump-era FTO designations for MS-13, Tren de Aragua and Mexican cartels, which allowed authorities to expand enforcement measures and make arrests previously constrained by older guidelines, Just the News reports.
During the first 100 days of Trump’s second administration, the NCTC identified nearly 1,200 alleged terrorists in the U.S., including roughly 750 linked to newly designated criminal organizations, fulfilling Trump’s 2024 campaign promise to keep Americans safe.
NCTC Director Tulsi Gabbard said these measures disrupted networks that might otherwise have gone largely undetected, signaling a decisive shift in enforcement practices.
By October, more than 35,000 KSTs had been added to the federal Terrorist Screening Dataset (TSDS).
Director Joe Kent noted that these efforts prevented thousands of suspected terrorists from entering the country.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg. We’re doing this and more every day,” Kent said, emphasizing the ongoing, proactive nature of the operation.
The TSDS contains detailed biographical and biometric information shared among multiple law enforcement agencies, including CBP and Border Patrol.
The database enables rapid identification and apprehension of KSTs at ports of entry and between crossings, making enforcement more coordinated and efficient.
In fiscal 2025, southwest border land ports accounted for the majority of KST apprehensions, with 2,782 recorded.
Northern border land ports reported 284 apprehensions, while Border Patrol apprehended 61 KSTs between southwest ports and none at the northern border.
The data indicates a shift from previous years, when northern border crossings typically accounted for the highest apprehensions.
Trump-era enforcement has produced high-profile arrests of major criminal figures.
Gabbard cited the capture of leaders from the Sinaloa and CJNG cartels, along with “La Diabla,” who operated an infant trafficking network.
Pregnant women were lured to remote locations where illegal cesareans were performed, and their babies were sold to U.S. couples for roughly $13,500.
In February, the State Department designated these cartels as FTOs and continues to expand the list.
Officials say these measures allow authorities to repatriate, detain or remove KSTs promptly, underscoring a stark contrast with the more permissive approach of the Biden administration.
Enforcement under Trump demonstrates a more rigorous, security-focused strategy that has significantly strengthened border safety.
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