US May Designate Mexican Drug Cartels as Terrorist Organizations — What Does It Mean?
head of a powerful Mexican drug cartel Kidnapping of four US citizens — and the deaths of two of them — could be designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S.
Secretary of State Antony Brinken said at a hearing in March that the State Department was considering designating Mexico’s drug cartels, which could include the Gulf Cartel, the cartel responsible for the attacks. In recent years, foreign terrorist (FTO) designation has attracted attention as a countermeasure against cartels.
Why is this being considered?
Javed Ali, associate professor of practice at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, says the murder of two American citizens “crossed the line.”
Mexican drug cartels are also trafficking fentanyl, which is responsible for the surge in opioid deaths in the United States. In 2021, he said, more than 70,000 Americans will die from synthetic opioid overdoses. Most of it was due to fentanyl from Mexico.DEA Seized Enough Fentanyl Last Year kill all americansmore than 50 million fentanyl-filled pills and over 10,000 pounds of fentanyl powder, most of it on the southern border.
Ali believes now is the right time to designate cartels as terrorist organizations and the US is not currently using “all the tools we have” to counter them claims that
What makes a group a foreign terrorist organization?
In order for a group or network to be called an FTO, it must meet three criteria:
- Must be a foreign national
- involved in terrorist activities
- Terrorist activity threatens US citizens or US national security.
How many foreign terrorist organizations are there?
there is 30+ groups Although designated by the State Department, none operate solely as drug cartels.
What really happens when you relabel a group as FTO?
FTO designation opens up more options for foreign sanctions, material support costswhich makes it much easier to prosecute someone for fewer crimes if they belong to a terrorist organization.
“It certainly stigmatizes them,” Ali said. “I think the last thing the Mexican drug cartels want is to be labeled as a terrorist organization by the United States. That’s bad for business.”
Does Congress have a role to classify groups as FTO?
The Secretary of State works with the Attorney General and Treasury Secretary to make the designation. After that, it will be sent to Congress for review, and if there are no problems with the designation, it will be published in the Official Gazette and become official after seven days.
Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy introduced legislation asking Blinken to target several cartels for FTO designation: Gulf Cartel, Cartel del Noreste, Cartel de Sinaloa, Cartel・De Jalisco Nueva Generation. In February, 21 Republican attorneys general called on President Joe Biden and Blinken to declare Mexican drug cartels FTO.
How does the designation affect drug cartels?
You can’t stop the cartels, but you will get the attention of the cartels, and the attention of those working with them, Ali says. Due to the significant support charges available to the US after FTO designation, the charges are much more severe, even for low-level crimes such as giving money to cartels. If he donates to a foreign terrorist organization, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
Officially labeling Mexican drug cartels as terrorists underscores the national security threat they pose and gives the US the sanction it hopes will have a sobering effect.
What are the disadvantages of FTO designation?
However, specifying has a potential drawback. It could adversely affect relations between the United States and Mexico.
“Especially in the United States, we already have enormous powers when it comes to all the police capabilities we need to deal with drug traffickers,” said Pamela Starr, a professor of international relations at the University of Southern California. “But it would undermine bilateral cooperation with Mexico and dramatically undermine our ability to meet the challenges in Mexico.”
An FTO designation could also undermine Mexico’s attractiveness as a tourist destination by fostering perceptions of poor safety.
Starr also warns that the designation could further radicalize drug cartels. It means that they may start adopting tactics.
In a worst-case scenario, the cartels could target more US citizens, Ali said.
But Ali argues that the FTO designation for Mexican drug cartels is worth it. “This level of activity is definitely affecting our national security, not so much from targeting Americans in Mexico, but from drug trafficking in America. Does it work?”
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head of a powerful Mexican drug cartel Kidnapping of four US citizens — and the deaths of two of them — could be designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Brinken said at a hearing in March that the State Department was considering designating Mexico’s drug cartels, which could include the Gulf Cartel, the cartel responsible for the attacks. In recent years, foreign terrorist (FTO) designation has attracted attention as a countermeasure against cartels. Why is this being considered?Javed Ali, associate professor of practice at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, says the murder of two American citizens “crossed the line.”
Mexican drug cartels are also trafficking fentanyl, which is responsible for the surge in opioid deaths in the United States. In 2021, he said, more than 70,000 Americans will die from synthetic opioid overdoses. Most of it was due to fentanyl from Mexico.DEA Seized Enough Fentanyl Last Year kill all americansmore than 50 million fentanyl-filled pills and over 10,000 pounds of fentanyl powder, most of it on the southern border.Ali believes now is the right time to designate cartels as terrorist organizations and the US is not currently using “all the tools we have” to counter them claims that
What makes a group a foreign terrorist organization? In order for a group or network to be called an FTO, it must meet three criteria:Must be a foreign nationalinvolved in terrorist activitiesTerrorist activity threatens US citizens or US national security. How many foreign terrorist organizations are there?there is 30+ groups Although designated by the State Department, none operate solely as drug cartels.What really happens when you relabel a group as FTO?FTO designation opens up more options for foreign sanctions, material support costswhich makes it much easier to prosecute someone for fewer crimes if they belong to a terrorist organization. “It certainly stigmatizes them,” Ali said. “I think the last thing the Mexican drug cartels want is to be labeled as a terrorist organization by the United States. That’s bad for business.”
Does Congress have a role to classify groups as FTO?The Secretary of State works with the Attorney General and Treasury Secretary to make the designation. After that, it will be sent to Congress for review, and if there are no problems with the designation, it will be published in the Official Gazette and become official after seven days. Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy introduced legislation asking Blinken to target several cartels for FTO designation: Gulf Cartel, Cartel del Noreste, Cartel de Sinaloa, Cartel・De Jalisco Nueva Generation. In February, 21 Republican attorneys general called on President Joe Biden and Blinken to declare Mexican drug cartels FTO.How does the designation affect drug cartels? You can’t stop the cartels, but you will get the attention of the cartels, and the attention of those working with them, Ali says. Due to the significant support charges available to the US after FTO designation, the charges are much more severe, even for low-level crimes such as giving money to cartels. If he donates to a foreign terrorist organization, he could face up to 20 years in prison. Officially labeling Mexican drug cartels as terrorists underscores the national security threat they pose and gives the US the sanction it hopes will have a sobering effect. What are the disadvantages of FTO designation?However, specifying has a potential drawback. It could adversely affect relations between the United States and Mexico. “Especially in the United States, we already have enormous powers when it comes to all the police capabilities we need to deal with drug traffickers,” said Pamela Starr, a professor of international relations at the University of Southern California. “But it would undermine bilateral cooperation with Mexico and dramatically undermine our ability to meet the challenges in Mexico.” An FTO designation could also undermine Mexico’s attractiveness as a tourist destination by fostering perceptions of poor safety.
Starr also warns that the designation could further radicalize drug cartels. It means that they may start adopting tactics. In a worst-case scenario, the cartels could target more US citizens, Ali said. But Ali argues that the FTO designation for Mexican drug cartels is worth it. “This level of activity is definitely affecting our national security, not so much from targeting Americans in Mexico, but from drug trafficking in America. Does it work?”
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