narco-trafficking

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The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City on September 02, 2025. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on September 1, 2025, that eight US military vessels with 1,200 missiles were targeting his country, which he declared to be in a state of "maximum readiness to defend" itself. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)

Asserting a License to Kill: Why the Caribbean Strike is a Dangerous Departure from the “War on Terror”

An absence of credible legal basis for the Caribbean strike suggests the Trump admin is asserting a prerogative to kill outside the law.
The Just Security Podcast

The Just Security Podcast: Sen. Elissa Slotkin on a New Vision for American National Security

The Senator joins Tess Bridgeman and Ryan Goodman for a wide-ranging discussion on the future of national security and foreign policy.
The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City

The Many Ways in Which the September 2 Caribbean Strike was Unlawful … and the Grave Line the Military Has Crossed

A deep dive into US domestic authority and law most relevant to the US strike on alleged Venezuelan drug boat.
The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City

Striking Drug Cartels under the Jus ad Bellum and Law of Armed Conflict

Analysis of laws of war and law on the resort to armed force in U.S. military action against Tren de Aragua.
The Just Security Podcast

The Just Security Podcast: Murder on the High Seas? What You Need to Know about the U.S. Strike on the Caribbean Vessel

Rebecca Ingber and Brian Finucane join Tess Bridgeman to unpack what you need to know about the U.S. strike on a purported drug trafficking vessel in the Caribbean.
The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City on September 02, 2025. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on September 1, 2025, that eight US military vessels with 1,200 missiles were targeting his country, which he declared to be in a state of "maximum readiness to defend" itself. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)

Legal Issues Raised by a Lethal U.S. Military Attack in the Caribbean

The Trump administration’s extraordinary lethal attack on a purported drug smuggling vessel – and its vow that it is the start of a campaign – raise significant legal issues.
US Marine Corps hang barbed wire

U.S. Military Action in Mexico: Almost Certainly Illegal, Definitely Counterproductive

U.S. military action in Mexico would not only be illegal, it would sabotage Trump’s stated immigration policy priorities and could lead to retaliation against Americans.
US President Donald Trump (L) and Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) in the Oval Office.

The Need for Course Correction: The Risks of Treating Drug Cartels as Terrorist Threats

While the executive order is intended to enhance national security, it raises significant concerns.
Men wearing military uniforms sit at a table.

Stopped Security Assistance: From Counter-Narcotics to Combating Human Trafficking Programs

The Trump administration's "stop work" order on U.S. foreign assistance may hurt its foreign policy goals and national security priorities.
Photo shows the National Guard member in a white uniform, helmet and bullet-proof vest turned away from what appears to be a shallow grave, though no remains are apparent, with someone using a pick-ax in the background behind yellow-and-black police tape.

Camera-Fitted Drones May Help Locate Graves of Mexico’s Disappeared

Technologies such as multispectral cameras and drones can replicate the methods of manual search groups more safely and efficiently.
A picture of Sinaloa cartel co-founder, Mexican drug trafficker Ismael "Mayo" Zambada, is seen on screen during Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's usual morning press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City on July 26, 2024.

A Modern Narcos? A Guide to the “El Mayo” Sinaloa Cartel Surrender

The dramatic surrender of El Mayo and Guzmán López to U.S. authorities reveals the complex dynamics of cross-border criminal law enforcement.
An aerial image shows migrants waiting along the border wall to surrender to Border Patrol agents for immigration and asylum claim processing

DeSantis Campaign’s Border Proposal Raises Separation of Powers Concerns

Florida governor and U.S. presidential candidate Ron DeSantis has proposed action that would flout constitutional and statutory limits.
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