Combatting International Drug Trafficking and Human Smuggling Partnership Act of 2025

This bill lets U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) work more closely with foreign governments to stop crime before it reaches the United States. With formal agreements in place, certain CBP teams can join foreign officials on operations inside those countries to monitor, find, track, and deter illegal drugs, human and goods smuggling, terrorist threats, and other risks to U.S. security or the economy. It also allows help during emergencies like search and rescue, medical aid, air traffic control help, and needed transport, and supports training for local law enforcement.

It also creates a way to pay people or businesses for damages caused during CBP operations overseas. The Department of Homeland Security can use operating funds to pay valid claims if they’re filed within two years. This payment power ends five years after the bill becomes law, and afterward a summary of any payments must be reported.

• Who is affected: CBP personnel; foreign partner agencies; people in U.S. communities affected by drugs, smuggling, or terrorism; and people overseas who might be harmed during operations.
• What changes: Joint operations abroad allowed under formal agreements; support for emergency humanitarian efforts; training for foreign law enforcement; ability to pay damage claims from overseas operations, with a two-year filing window.
• When: Claims must be filed within two years of the incident; the authority to pay claims ends five years after enactment.