Full Breakdown
Blue-State Governors and the Federal Expansion of Joint Terrorism Task Forces
By Drooid · · How we work
Overview of the Expanded Joint Terrorism Task Force Network
The New Republic reports that a national network of more than 200 Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTFs) has been broadened to embed federal directives, including National Security Presidential Memorandum-7 (NSPM-7), into state and local policing. These JTTFs combine the FBI with state police, local police, the National Guard, the Department of Homeland Security, military-intelligence components, and occasionally the CIA, creating a hybrid investigative body.
Policy Context: NSPM-7 and the New Domestic Threat Narrative
NSPM-7 identifies a set of ideological positions—anti-fascism, anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, anti-Christianity, support for overthrowing the United States government, and extremist views on migration, race, and gender—as indicators of a “new violent domestic threat.” The memorandum calls for coordinated action against individuals or groups holding these views.
Scale and Functioning of JTTFs
A study commissioned by the Brennan Center examined 14 JTTFs and described their operation as “organized chaos.” The study notes that the expansion of JTTFs was originally justified by intelligence-sharing gaps that contributed to the attacks.
Official Assessment and Critique
The New Republic notes that the fusion of federal and state law-enforcement resources effectively deputizes state and local officers as federal agents, allowing federal priorities to be imposed on local jurisdictions. Critics argue that this structure blurs jurisdictional boundaries and may enable the prosecution of conduct defined by political ideology rather than traditional criminal statutes.
Implications for State Law Enforcement
By aligning state police with federal terrorism mandates, governors in traditionally liberal states are facilitating the application of NSPM-7 across their jurisdictions. Observers warn that this could reshape local policing priorities, expand surveillance capabilities, and alter the legal landscape for activities deemed “thought crimes” under the new threat framework.