GAO urges DHS, DOJ and State to tighten data and performance tracking on gun trafficking to Mexico

The Government Accountability Office issued four recommendations directing the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice and the Department of State to improve data collection and performance measurement for efforts to curb firearms trafficking from the United States to Mexico.

GAO found that 68 percent (82,785) of firearms recovered in Mexico and traced from January 2020 to December 2024 had a U.S. source, while Customs and Border Protection seized 4,944 firearms bound for Mexico at land ports of entry from January 2020 through December 2025. The agency noted that CBP's data system does not consistently capture information on the semi-automatic rifles sought by Mexican cartels, limiting intelligence value.

The report says DHS, ATF and the State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs have not established goals, baselines or performance measures for their anti-trafficking programs. ATF discontinued its performance measures after fiscal year 2023, and INL lacks baselines, targets and results for several measures, leaving agencies unable to assess whether resources are directed to the most effective activities.

In fiscal years 2020-2025, ATF and INL provided about $126 million for these efforts. GAO's recommendations call on DHS to require CBP to record rifle-type data, to develop objectives and performance metrics for CBP and ICE, on DOJ to require ATF to create performance measures for Operation Southbound, and on State to require INL to develop baselines, targets and results for its funding projects.

Three of the recommendations have been accepted; DHS disagreed with the data-collection recommendation, which remains open. GAO will update the record when agencies report actions taken.