Panama: ICITAP and INTERPOL Lead Western Hemisphere Project Terminus Workshop, Strengthening Border Security, Regional Coordination, and U.S. Counterterrorism Capabilities

From December 3–5, the Western Hemisphere Workshop on Border Security and Law Enforcement Coordination convened in Panama City, Panama, highlighting ICITAP’s central role in strengthening regional law enforcement capacity and directly supporting U.S. national security through enhanced information sharing and operational interoperability. Over the three-day event, ICITAP advisors coordinated closely with INTERPOL Washington and the U.S. National Central Bureau to guide senior officials from across the Western Hemisphere, including border, immigration, law enforcement, and judicial representatives, in strategies to identify, track, and interdict individuals linked to terrorism, transnational criminal organizations, and other threats to the United States. ICITAP led the integration and demonstration of Project Terminus, providing technical expertise, mentorship, and hands-on guidance to ensure partner nations could effectively leverage INTERPOL’s I-24/7 system and the Terminus Toolkit. These tools allow officers to access, upload, and share personal identifying information and stolen or lost travel documents with 196 countries, enhancing frontline border security and early-warning capabilities. Presentations from Panama, Ecuador, and Guatemala highlighted how ICITAP-trained personnel use these systems to detect suspicious travel patterns, monitor transnational criminal activity, and identify foreign terrorist fighters, while ICITAP advisors supported operational planning, data management, and cross-border coordination. Through equipment donations, capacity-building, and sustained mentoring, ICITAP ensured that participating agencies could implement analytical processes and operational best practices immediately. By the workshop’s conclusion, all countries expressed interest in adopting or expanding Project Terminus, with several pursuing formal next steps. ICITAP’s leadership in organizing, training, and supporting this initiative demonstrates its critical contribution to advancing U.S. counterterrorism objectives, reinforcing regional security, and building a safer, more interconnected Western Hemisphere.