National Targeting Center Explained

The National Targeting Center (NTC) is a division of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). It is based in Sterling, Virginia.^[1] The NTC observes air traffic and trade activities,^[2] gathers and vets intelligence, and is empowered to send e-mails requesting that U.S. citizens be detained and questioned.^[3]

The National Targeting Center includes several divisions, including: NTC-Cargo, NTC-Passenger, Counter-Network, and National Targeting Center – Investigations (NTC-I). The latter was established in 2013.^[4]

The NTC was initially established in 2001; its original name was Office of Border Security.^[5]

In 2017, the NTC approached journalists "as part of a broader effort to get reporters to write about forced labor around the world as a national security issue." The journalists included Ali Watkins and Martha Mendoza. The issue came to light from a redacted Inspector General report given to the Associated Press.^[6]

In 2021, CBP launched an investigation of the NTC's targeting of journalists, members of Congress, and others.^[7] In 2022, CBP agreed to release to the U.S. Senate the Inspector General's report previously leaked to the Associated Press, in exchange for Senate approval of an employee.^[8]

Notes and References

1. Web site: CBP National Targeting Center | U.S. Customs and Border Protection Preview .
2. Web site: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations Officer Conduct Global Observations of Air Traffic and Trade Activities | Homeland Security .
3. News: Melissa del Bosque . SECRETIVE CBP COUNTERTERRORISM TEAMS INTERROGATED 180,000 U.S. CITIZENS OVER TWO-YEAR PERIOD . 3 January 2022 . . 4 September 2021 . CBP’s National Targeting Center, which gathers and vets intelligence [...] an analyst from the National Targeting Center sent an email to the TTRT at the airport requesting that Gach be detained and questioned.
4. Web site: HSI FY18 Achievements: Opioids .
5. Mou 225-14-026 . FDA . 3 November 2018 .
6. News: MARK SHERMAN . Watchdog: Federal anti-terror unit investigated journalists . 17 December 2021 . . 11 December 2021 . en . assigned to the border agency unit, part of the National Targeting Center in Sterling, Virginia, in 2017. He told investigators he initially approached Watkins as part of a broader effort to get reporters to write about forced labor around the world as a national security issue. He also described similar efforts with AP reporter Martha Mendoza.
7. News: Winter . Jana . CBP launches review of secretive division that targeted journalists, lawmakers and other Americans . 3 January 2022 . . 31 December 2021 . en . CBP’s internal probe was prompted by Yahoo News’ reporting earlier this month on Operation Whistle Pig, a leak investigation targeting reporter Ali Watkins.
8. News: Jana Winter . DHS to provide Congress with Operation Whistle Pig report detailing spying on journalists, lawmakers . 11 June 2023 . Yahoo! News . “We have a commitment to get the Whistle Pig IG report within 30 days,” Keith Chu, a spokesperson for Wyden told Yahoo News. “This was a condition of supporting Wainstein.”.