WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of State has officially designated several major criminal organizations, including Mexican drug cartels and transnational gangs, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), according to a notice published in the Federal Register.
The groups listed in the designation include Tren de Aragua, Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), the Sinaloa Cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), Carteles Unidos, the Northeast Cartel, the Gulf Cartel, and La Nueva Familia Michoacana. The decision was made following a review of administrative records and consultations with the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury.
“There is a sufficient factual basis to find that the relevant circumstances described in section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act exist,” the document states, citing the organizations’ involvement in widespread violence and criminal activity.
The designation allows the U.S. government to impose severe financial and legal penalties on individuals and entities associated with these groups. It also grants law enforcement expanded authority to target their operations.
The decision, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on February 6, 2025, is set to take effect upon publication in the Federal Register on February 20, 2025.