MEXICO CITY — On Monday, President Donald Trump enacted an executive order aimed at classifying drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. This declaration signals a potential shift towards a more militarized approach regarding issues at the U.S. border and throughout Latin America.
The executive order specifically mentions Mexican drug cartels and other regional criminal entities, including the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and the Salvadoran group Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13). It asserts that these organizations pose serious risks to the safety of American citizens, the security of the United States, and the overall stability of the Western Hemisphere’s international order.
While the order did not provide a specific list of these groups, it instructed Cabinet secretaries to identify organizations fitting the terrorist criteria within the next two weeks. This was part of a broader series of orders aimed at establishing the foundation for Trump’s administration.
The executive order outlines that cartels have engaged in acts of violence and terror across the Western Hemisphere, destabilizing key regions that are vital to U.S. interests while also inundating the country with harmful drugs, dangerous criminals, and violent gangs.
It remains uncertain how this labeling will affect the ongoing battle against cartels, but there are fears that it may further restrict access for individuals from nations where these groups operate, limiting their ability to enter the U.S.
The order follows additional significant measures, which include declaring a state of emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, the announcement of potential 25% tariffs on trade with Mexico and Canada, and discontinuing the use of the CBP One app that allowed migrants to secure asylum appointments prior to reaching the border.
Trump has also indicated plans for mass deportations and has threatened military action against cartels in Mexico, a proposition that has been met with stern opposition from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Concerns have been raised that designating cartels as terrorist organizations could serve as a pretext for the U.S. to conduct military operations against these groups. Vanda Felbab-Brown, a specialist in organized crime, stated that the implications of such a designation could impact everything from trade to migration.
As cartels have significantly penetrated the migrant smuggling market, it has become increasingly difficult for migrants and asylum seekers to traverse Mexico and other Latin American regions without incurring fees payable to these organizations. Paying such fees could potentially disqualify them from seeking asylum, Felbab-Brown noted.
Mike Vigil, who previously led the Drug Enforcement Administration’s foreign operations, expressed skepticism, suggesting that any designation as terrorists would not change the day-to-day efforts against cartels. He remarked that similar anti-terrorism strategies have already been integrated into current counter-narcotics operations. He described the executive order as primarily a political maneuver rather than a substantial change in tactics.
Vigil elaborated that, logistically, the order might facilitate asset seizures from groups within U.S. territory, impose sanctions on domestic individuals collaborating with these organizations, and prevent their members from entering the United States, but it would not authorize troop deployment into Mexico, which would violate the country’s sovereignty.
This executive order comes at a time when violence related to cartels has escalated in northern Mexico, particularly after the detainment of notorious kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, leading to violent clashes between different factions of the Sinaloa cartel. The conflict has resulted in widespread violence, including mutilated bodies left in public spaces and kidnappings occurring even in healthcare facilities.
The dynamics of cartel warfare have evolved significantly over the years. Previously dominated by a few major syndicates led by prominent leaders, the landscape has diversified into multiple factions that engage in brutal power struggles, employing advanced technology like bomb-carrying drones and improvised explosive devices, while expanding their operations into both migrant trafficking and the avocado trade. This violence has tragically affected countless civilians in Mexico, many of whom have lost their lives or gone missing due to the increasing brutality.
Some family members of victims of cartel violence in Mexico see the terrorist designation as a possible avenue for justice. Adrián LeBarón, whose daughter lost her life in a 2019 massacre, expressed hope that this designation might elevate awareness regarding the plight of violence victims in Mexico, a nation grappling with high levels of violence despite being officially at peace.
LeBarón characterized the massacre as a terrorist act and is optimistic that the new designation could motivate authorities to pursue justice for the victims’ families. He articulated that investigating terrorism could serve to honor every community that has faced devastation and fear in its aftermath, stating on social media, “An investigation into terrorism is justice not only for us but also for every town and corner of the country where a family has been destroyed and terror is sown in its wake.”
