DOJ Forfeiture Funds to Finance New Cartel Awareness Campaign Targeting Border High Schools

The aptly named No More Narcos Act is setting up a two-pronged federal effort aimed squarely at protecting young people from being recruited by cartels and other international crime groups. Essentially, the government is trying to inoculate middle and high school students near the border against the dangers of getting involved in illegal smuggling or trafficking.

First, the Attorney General, working through the DEA, must launch an informational campaign within a year of the bill becoming law. This campaign is specifically designed to teach students about the dangers and risks of working with cartels or transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). The twist here is the target audience: “Covered Students” are defined as middle and high schoolers living in communities located 100 miles or less from the U.S.-Mexico border. If you’re a parent or educator in that zone, expect new federal resources and messaging to start showing up in schools.

Second, the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) is tasked with creating a national strategy to combat how these TCOs specifically try to recruit minors in the U.S. for smuggling or trafficking. This shifts the focus from simply arresting people to proactively dismantling the recruitment pipeline targeting young people under 18.

Where the Money Comes From: Forfeiture Funds

One of the most interesting parts of this bill is how it’s being paid for. Instead of relying on new taxpayer appropriations, the Act amends the Department of Justice’s Assets Forfeiture Fund. This fund holds money and property seized from criminals—think drug dealers, fraudsters, and, yes, cartels. Under this Act (SEC. 3), the fund can now be used to cover the costs of running the new informational campaign and developing the DHS national strategy. It’s a classic case of using the bad guys’ money to fight the bad guys.

For regular folks, this means the new protective measures are being funded by assets already taken from criminal enterprises, not by increasing the federal budget. However, it’s worth noting that using forfeiture funds for this purpose could potentially divert those resources from other existing priorities, such as compensating victims or supporting other law enforcement operations.

The 100-Mile Line: Who Gets Covered?

While the goal of protecting minors from TCOs is clearly beneficial, the bill places a hard geographical limit on the informational campaign (SEC. 2). Only middle and high school students within 100 miles of the border are “Covered Students.” If you live in a city like Phoenix or San Antonio, which are just outside that 100-mile limit but still experience significant TCO activity, your kids won’t be the primary target of this specific educational campaign. This boundary raises a practical question: Does recruitment stop at the 100-mile mark? Probably not. For families living just outside that zone, the campaign’s resources might not be available, even if the risk of recruitment is present.

Ultimately, this legislation aims to coordinate federal power—from the DEA to DHS and Education—to protect a vulnerable population using resources already seized from criminals. It’s a targeted, strategic approach that acknowledges the specific threat cartels pose to young people in border communities, but it leaves open the question of how similar threats will be addressed for minors further inland.