Three undergraduate students from different universities and academic backgrounds spent 10 weeks immersed in research workflows, analyzing data on newly designated foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) and transnational criminal networks. Working out of NCITE's Omaha headquarters, the students conducted in-depth research, explored case studies, and presented their findings to faculty and staff. Sophia Detisch, who studies criminology and criminal justice at Loyola University Chicago, Anjun Dhillon, a psychology student at North Carolina State University, and Collin Stigge, a political science major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, each brought unique perspectives to the program.
Their research involved combing through federal court records and performing detailed searches across 150+ government agency websites, amassing nearly 700 sources for analysis. The work was part of NCITE’s Research on Emerging Activity of Criminal and Terrorist Groups (REACT) project, which seeks to identify patterns and understand the evolving behaviors of FTOs and organized crime groups active in or connected to the United States. The interns were mentored by Isaac Moelter, a doctoral student at NCITE, who guided them through the process of categorizing data, known in research terms as coding.
Case Studies Presented
As part of the program, each intern presented a case study to a group of faculty, staff, and students. Detisch’s work focused on a 2017 case in New York involving Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a gang designated as a foreign terrorist organization in February 2025. Her case study examined the details of United States v. Portillo, where a 15-year-old committed murder to gain rank within the group. Detisch explored how MS-13 leverages violent acts to promote members and recruit young individuals, highlighting the gang's threat to public safety.
Dhillon investigated a more recent case, United States v. Luis Daniel Segura Guzman, which involved individuals linked to the Los Fantasmas gang and Cártel del Noreste (CDN), another FTO. Three people were arrested in 2026 for planning to smuggle individuals into Texas from Mexico. Dhillon highlighted how cartels use Facebook to coordinate smuggling efforts and how they target youth for recruitment. She also discussed law enforcement challenges in monitoring encrypted communications, which often conflict with the first amendment’s protections for free speech.
Examining Ghost Gun Networks and Cartel Tactics
Stigge’s case study centered on United States v. Pierson, a case from 2014 to 2018 where an individual operated a ghost gun trafficking network between the U.S. and Mexico. The defendant sold untraceable firearms—known as ghost guns because they lack serial numbers—to CDN and Cártel del Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), another FTO-designated group. Stigge explored the difficulties law enforcement faces in tracking small trafficking networks and how these weapons contribute to cartel violence and instability.
Program Expansion and Impact
The 2026 internship served as a trial for NCITE’s growing program, which is designed to train the next generation of counterterrorism researchers and analysts. The Center is now offering three undergraduate positions for the 2026-2027 academic year. These include two junior research assistant roles and one for operations and project management assistance. NCITE’s mission is to build a strong research workforce by giving students real-world experience with pressing security threats.
The interns' work not only contributed to the REACT project but also added qualitative depth to the understanding of FTOs and criminal gangs in the U.S. For example, Detisch’s research on MS-13 highlighted the group’s recruitment and advancement strategies, while Dhillon’s study of cartel-linked smuggling pointed to the growing threat of social media use in criminal coordination. Stigge’s case on ghost guns underscored the complexities of tracking illegal firearms, especially in transnational networks.
According to Austin Doctor, Ph.D., the lead researcher for the REACT project, the interns’ contributions have been significant. He noted that they helped build a stronger foundation for characterizing cartel and gang activities in the United States. Dhillon echoed this sentiment, saying the internship gave her insight into the full research process and how to create case studies. Stigge emphasized the networking opportunities and the development of analytical skills. Moelter, the intern mentor, added that he learned much from guiding these students, particularly how to communicate complex academic findings in a clear and accessible way to broader audiences.
NCITE plans to continue expanding its internship program, with more roles available in the upcoming academic year. The Center remains committed to equipping future professionals with the tools and knowledge needed to address evolving threats.