New US Task Force Aided Mexico's Hunt for 'El Mencho'

A new military-led Joint Interagency Task Force provided intelligence support for a Mexican operation that killed the head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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A new U.S. military task force called Counter Cartel, based in Southern Arizona, provided intelligence that supported a Mexican military operation that killed Nemesio 'El Mencho' Oseguera Cervantes, the head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The task force, part of the U.S. Northern Command, is comprised of around 300 military and civilian personnel and is working to map suspected drug cartel networks on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Why it matters

The existence of this new task force and its involvement in the operation against 'El Mencho' highlights the expanding role of the U.S. military in the war on drugs, raising concerns about accountability and potential overreach of military involvement within U.S. borders.

The details

The operation that killed 'El Mencho' triggered a spasm of violence leaving at least 70 people dead. The task force, known as JIATF-CC, provided Mexican forces with a 'detailed target package' leading up to the Sunday operation. The CIA also provided key support. JIATF-CC is part of a network of Homeland Security Task Forces created by an executive order signed by President Trump in January 2025, aimed at combating criminal cartels and transnational criminal organizations.

  • The existence of the task force was revealed last month at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.
  • The executive order creating the Homeland Security Task Force network was signed in January 2025.

The players

JIATF-CC

A Joint Interagency Task Force based in Southern Arizona, comprised of approximately 300 military and civilian employees, that provided intelligence support for the operation against 'El Mencho'.

Nemesio 'El Mencho' Oseguera Cervantes

The head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, who was killed in the Mexican military operation supported by the U.S. task force.

Adam Isacson

The director of defense oversight at the Washington Office on Latin America, who expressed concerns about the increasing secrecy surrounding NORTHCOM's operations and the potential for expanded military involvement within U.S. borders.

Michael Glasheen

The FBI national security branch operations director, who testified about the Homeland Security Task Force network created by the 2025 executive order.

President Trump

The U.S. president who created the network of Homeland Security Task Forces through an executive order signed in January 2025.

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What they’re saying

“The task force construct is 'the first of its kind,' taking a 'whole-of-government' approach.”

— Michael Glasheen, FBI national security branch operations director (newsy-today.com)

“In the past, the military would readily cite the Posse Comitatus Act—the law restricting military involvement in domestic policing—when concerns were raised. He stated that now, even contacts on Capitol Hill are met with silence when seeking information.”

— Adam Isacson, Director of defense oversight at the Washington Office on Latin America (newsy-today.com)

What’s next

The increasing secrecy surrounding NORTHCOM's operations raises questions about accountability and the potential for expanded military involvement within U.S. borders, a shift from historical precedent.

The takeaway

The existence of this new task force and its involvement in the operation against 'El Mencho' highlights the expanding role of the U.S. military in the war on drugs, raising concerns about accountability and potential overreach of military involvement within U.S. borders.