Today, the FBI marks the 10th anniversary of the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell (HRFC). Over the past 10 years, well over 1,000 Americans—kidnapped for ransom by criminal groups or held by foreign terrorist organizations—have been recovered. 

Established in 2015 under Presidential Policy Directive 30 (PPD-30) and solidified in the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act in 2020, the HRFC is the U.S. government’s interagency task force that coordinates efforts dedicated to recovering Americans held hostage abroad.  

“The HRFC brings together interagency personnel and capabilities that are focused on the important mission of bringing American hostages home,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI will continue to work with our U.S. government partners to recover victims overseas, reunite them with their families, and provide support through difficult times. No matter how long an investigation takes, the HRFC is dedicated to the recovery of Americans and to holding their captors accountable.”  

The HRFC consists of nearly 50 individuals from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice, the Department of Defense, the Department of State, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Treasury, and other agencies whose full-time job is bringing hostages home safely and supporting their families in their time of crisis. The HRFC’s establishment was driven by a need to better communicate and coordinate U.S. government efforts to recover Americans held hostage abroad. Equally important, one of the HRFC’s core missions is to ensure the families of those being held hostage are supported and informed of the U.S. government’s work and progress to bring their loved ones home.   

Since the HRFC’s inception, the family engagement team has expanded to include victim services coordinators, crisis negotiators, operational psychologists, FBI special agents, and Department of State consular affairs officers. Family engagement is a critical service that the HRFC has been providing to support families of hostages during and after captivity, as well as assisting with the reunification process. These experts are available to guide and support victims and their families well after the individual has returned home. 

Since the creation of the HRFC, U.S. government interagency collaboration, foreign government partnerships, and private sector relationships have expanded and are far more robust than ten years ago. HRFC’s work with non-governmental organizations and third-party intermediaries has a productive influence on process, policy, and deterrence. It’s not just a whole of government approach, but a whole of society endeavor.   

The HRFC’s work continues, and our interagency team is committed to bringing home our remaining American hostages, supporting families, and hold hostage-takers accountable.