A report from the US Department of Homeland Security predicts that illicit drugs will be one of the most significant threats to national security in 2024, as the number of deaths from overdoses exceeded 100,000 people last year.
According to the report, the ongoing issue of illegal drugs produced in Mexico and sold in the United States will continue to claim more American lives compared to any other threat. It stated, “While terrorists always pose a threat to the nation, drugs kill and harm many more people in the United States annually.”
The Department of Homeland Security stated that drug traffickers contributed to the production and distribution of a more deadly form of fentanyl in the past year, increasing overdose-related deaths.
Fentanyl is expected to remain the leading cause of drug-related deaths in the United States in 2024, according to the report.
The report also highlights the impact of illicit drugs on American communities, as they fuel “violent criminal enterprises, money laundering, and corruption that undermines the rule of law.”
The Department of Homeland Security noted its investment in preventing these dangerous and illegal drugs from entering the country. It has seized more fentanyl and arrested more individuals for drug-related crimes.
On the terrorism front, the report emphasizes that terrorism, whether domestic or international, remains a significant threat. It predicts a continued high threat of violence from extremist individuals or small groups carrying out attacks without prior warning.
The report also mentions that violent domestic extremists will remain a focus for the Department of Homeland Security. These extremists are expected to draw inspiration and motivation from a combination of conspiracy theories, personal grievances, racial and ethnic ideologies, and anti-government sentiments often spread online.
One of the objectives of these domestic extremists is to influence the 2024 elections, and malicious actors will likely employ cyber techniques and tools to enhance their capabilities and engage in harmful influence campaigns, potentially undermining confidence in free and fair elections.
Additionally, foreign terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS seek to rebuild abroad and maintain global networks of supporters who may seek to target the United States.
The report highlights that in the past year, there has been an increase of approximately 100 individuals on the terrorist watchlist who were encountered along the border.
In another context, the Department stated that cyberattacks originating from countries like Russia, China, and Iran “will continue to target and steal sensitive American information, research, and technology, with the potential for potential interference in the 2024 elections.”
The report also states, “Between January 2020 and December 2022, the number of known ransomware attacks in the United States increased by 47 percent.”