President Donald Trump announced on his first day in office that organized drug trafficking groups will be designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations. While the United States has waged aggressive campaigns against such groups for decades, the move still has implications for enforcement—while increasing threats of both US military action and further violence in countries like Mexico.
Trump’s January 20 inauguration speech mentioned this measure among a series of policies relating to the border, immigration and asylum, declaring a national emergency at the southern border and promising to deploy the military against an “invasion” of migrants.
“Under the orders I sign today we will also be designating the cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations,” he said. “And by invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, I will direct our government to use the full and immense power of federal and state law enforcement to eliminate the presence of all foreign gangs and criminal networks bringing devastating crime to US soil, including our cities and inner cities.”
