DHS Launches New Task Force Website Amid Controversy Over Trump’s Deportation Agenda

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has launched a new website for its Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF), presenting the initiative with a polished, corporate aesthetic reminiscent of a Silicon Valley startup or direct-to-consumer brand. The site, HSTF.gov, went live on Friday and was first announced via the FBI’s X account with the slogan: “We don’t negotiate. We dismantle.”

Website Design Mirrors Corporate Branding

The homepage features a striking, AI-generated image of gas-masked officers armed with AR-15 style weapons advancing through tear gas. The design language—sans-serif fonts and bold visuals—aligns with branding trends seen in tech startups and consumer brands, rather than traditional government communications. Notably absent from the site are explicit references to ICE, deportations, or immigration, despite the task forces’ origins in a Trump administration executive order.

Origins in Trump’s Immigration Enforcement Order

The HSTF initiative traces back to Executive Order 14159, signed by President Donald Trump shortly after his inauguration. Titled “Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” the order outlines plans for deportation, incarceration, and removal of immigrants. While the new website describes the task forces as combating “transnational criminal organizations—including cartels, trafficking networks, and foreign terrorist organizations” across all 52 U.S. states and territories, it omits a critical line from the order: the directive to “use all available law enforcement tools to faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States.”

The FBI’s website, however, explicitly links the HSTF to Trump’s order, stating that DHS “formed Homeland Security Task Forces in response to Executive Order 14159.”

Key Figures Behind the Website’s Design

The website’s creators include prominent figures from the tech and entertainment industries:

• Joe Gebbia: Head of the National Design Studio, a year-old agency created by executive decree. Gebbia is a former DOGE enthusiast, billionaire, and serves on the boards of Airbnb and Tesla.
• Nate Brown: Creative director who previously collaborated with Kanye West and has transitioned into government-focused design projects.
• Edward Coristine: A 20-year-old engineer, known by his DOGE-era nickname “Big Balls,” serving as the engineering lead on the project. In a recent interview with far-right influencer Nick Shirley, Coristine described his role as a “federal vibecoder.”

“We’re actually setting Americans up for growth moving forward, and to believe in the capitalist system and, like, see how it can actually work for them.”

— Edward Coristine, in an interview with Nick Shirley

Coristine also highlighted the extensive use of AI in the project, stating he works 14-hour days and relies on AI tools daily.

Task Force Goals and Controversial Operations

The website emphasizes the HSTF’s mission to “dismantle cross-border trafficking and smuggling networks”, with a “priority focus” on those involving children. However, reports indicate that Homeland Security agents have spent months operating in cities far from the U.S.-Mexico border, detaining individuals—including children—in facilities across Minneapolis, Memphis, and Los Angeles.

The National Design Studio, responsible for the HSTF website, was announced a year ago. Its team includes design legend Paula Scher, though her specific role in the project remains unclear.