S. 150 — Combating Cartels on Social Media Act of 2025

This section defines terms used in the Act, including— (1) appropriate congressional committees as the Senate Committees on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Judiciary, and Foreign Relations, and the House Committees on Homeland Security, the Judiciary, and Foreign Affairs; (2) covered operator as the operator, developer, or publisher of a covered service; (3) covered service as (A) a social media platform, (B) a mobile or desktop service with direct or group messaging capabilities (excluding plain text messaging or email) determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security to be used by transnational criminal organizations for illicit activities, or (C) a digital platform or electronic application (e.g., multi-player gaming or immersive technology) with real-time interactive communication similarly determined; (4) criminal enterprise as having the meaning given "continuing criminal enterprise" in 21 U.S.C. 848; (5) illicit activities as specified transnational crimes, including violations of (A) 21 U.S.C. 841 (Controlled Substances Act drug offenses), (B) narcotics trafficking under 21 U.S.C. 1907, (C) weapons trafficking, (D) migrant smuggling under 8 U.S.C. 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii), (E) human trafficking under specified 18 U.S.C. or 22 U.S.C. 7102 provisions, (F) cyber crime under 18 U.S.C. 1030, (G) intellectual property enforcement matters under 15 U.S.C. 8112, (H) bulk cash smuggling under 31 U.S.C. 5332, or (I) laundering proceeds thereof; and (6) transnational criminal organization as a group or network operating transnationally for power, influence, or gain through crime, corruption, or violence, protected by organizational structure and exploitation of corruption or logistics.

This section directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of State to submit to the appropriate congressional committees, not later than 180 days after enactment, a joint assessment describing (1) the use of covered services by transnational criminal organizations or their criminal enterprises for recruitment efforts, including of individuals in the United States, related to illicit activities in the United States, Mexico, or near U.S. international borders; (2) the use of covered services by such organizations for illicit activities, including smuggling or trafficking of narcotics, controlled substances, precursors, firearms, humans (with a focus on child exploitation), and bulk currency or monetary instruments; and (3) existing efforts by these secretaries and relevant entities to counter, monitor, or respond to such usage.

This section requires the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of State to submit to the appropriate congressional committees, not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, a joint "National Strategy to Combat Illicit Recruitment Activity by Transnational Criminal Organizations on Social Media and Online Platforms" to address recruitment via covered services (i.e., social media and online platforms) by transnational criminal organizations for unlawful activities in the United States, Mexico, or near U.S. international borders. The strategy must include (1) proposals to improve interagency cooperation, intragovernmental coordination (including with state, Tribal, and local governments), internal departmental coordination, intelligence analysis, and international partnerships; (2) recommendations for voluntary reporting of recruitment efforts; (3) activities to increase youth outreach in border communities on recruitment tactics and consequences; and (4) measures to focus law enforcement on organizations (not recruits), with protections for privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties (particularly for minors and constitutionally protected activities). It prohibits legislative recommendations not already enacted. In developing and implementing the strategy, the specified officials must consult with designated components of the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and State; the Secretaries of Health and Human Services and Education; and representatives of border communities (including state, Tribal, and local governments and nongovernmental experts in civil rights, online privacy, migrant assistance, and youth outreach). This section further requires commencement of strategy implementation not later than 90 days after submission to Congress.