Inside House Republicans’ new task force to battle criminal Mexican cartels

EXCLUSIVE: Successfully ridding the U.S. of the effects of Mexico’s criminal cartels operating along the southwestern border would be a 20-year ordeal, Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said – but argued Congress could begin having an impact in a matter of weeks to months.

“Look, there’s places we can boost right now to help the administration – the administration is refocusing a lot of efforts, especially in the [Department of Defense (DOD)], on the cartel situation, but there’s no extra money for that. That is something we could produce in reconciliation,” Crenshaw told Fox News Digital.

“I already know what programs need to be boosted, I just need to know the numbers. And that will come from [the Office of Management and Budget] that’ll come from the Department of Homeland Security, it’ll come from the DOD, it’ll come from [Department of Justice]. And so over the next couple of weeks, even while we’re in recess, we’re working on getting those numbers.”

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Fox News Digital spoke with Crenshaw days after he was tapped to lead a new task force on combating Mexico’s drug cartels. It’s operating under the House permanent select committee on intelligence, which Crenshaw sits on.

He said it differs from his initiative last year, a similar task force, albeit with few resources to execute his goals, according to the congressman.

“Last year’s cartel task force didn’t have any staff. We were a series of members conducting hearings, investigations,” Crenshaw said. “I think we’re past that stage at the moment. Now, what I lead is really the House’s effort to actually create some legislation to combat the cartels.”

He added that the intelligence panel was “the right place for it” given “a lot of the work we do is classified.” 

“So the goal here is to actually get some outcomes as opposed to continuing more hearings, continuing more investigation. I’ve got a pretty good outline of what needs to happen. We’ve got President Trump in the White House now, who wants to make it happen,” Crenshaw said.

“Another huge difference between now and last year is we have a Mexican administration under President Sheinbaum, who also wants to make it happen and take the fight to the cartels.”

That fight would largely be a two-phase approach, Crenshaw explained. The first would be funding, while the second would entail “additional authorities and laws that need to be changed” to combat what the Texas congressman likened to “a terrorist insurgency” within the U.S.’ close neighbor and trading partner.

“That means boosting up certain funding lines in existing authorities, especially places like the Department of Defense. You know, NORTHCOM owns this area of operation when it comes to Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. They’re going to need extra resources because we’re going to need to do a lot more training on Mexican special forces,” he said.

Crenshaw called for sending military-grade gear to forces at the border, including Blackhawk helicopters, and bolstering reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering efforts.

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“Things they really don’t have and that currently cause them to be outgunned by these pretty massive militias that have unlimited funding and are ruthless in the way that they terrorize the Mexican population,” Crenshaw explained. “So there’s a lot to do there.”

He’s hoping the funding can largely be allocated through the budget reconciliation process, a means for Republicans to pass a massive conservative policy overhaul while totally sidelining Democrats.

They can do so because reconciliation brings the Senate’s passage threshold down from 60 votes to 51, provided the legislation deals with taxation, spending or the national debt.

Republicans are looking to increase funding for President Donald Trump’s border initiatives, but it’s not immediately clear what shape that will take.

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The contours of that plan will become clear in the next several weeks, with lawmakers returning from a two-week recess at the end of this month.

But House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said his full faith was in Crenshaw to execute the task force’s goals.

“Now it is the responsibility of Congress to ensure this good work can continue by providing the President with the tools he needs to dismantle the drug cartels for good,” Johnson said in a statement. “No one has worked harder on this important issue than Congressman Crenshaw, and I am grateful he is willing to continue leading at this pivotal time.”