(NewsNation) — The Trump administration’s immigration plans are shaping up, and this week, the State Department designated eight Latin American groups as foreign terrorist organizations.
The groups include Venezuela-based Tren de Aragua, MS-13 from El Salvador and six groups based in Mexico, including the Sinaloa cartel.
Billionaire Elon Musk, an adviser to President Donald Trump, has also floated the idea of drone strikes against cartels. Congress would need to sign off on such an operation and give final approval.
The Trump administration may begin dismantling the groups inside the U.S. as they are believed to be active across the country.
The Drug Enforcement Agency says the cartel is present in all 50 states. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, said he believes Tren de Aragua is present across the U.S. as well.
Now that these groups have been designated as foreign terror organizations, there are legal ramifications for anyone who tries to help them, including U.S. citizens. Family members or associates of FTOs living in the U.S. are also eligible for removal and deportation.
The Treasury Department will also be able to block asset transactions from the FTOs.
Yesterday, a suspected TDA gang member was arrested in the Denver area for possession of a firearm. With this new designation, retired Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Victor Avila says individuals who are arrested in the U.S. with a connection to one of these groups are likely to wind up in Guantanamo Bay.
“This categorizes them, just like ISIS, al Qaeda, the Taliban,” Avila said. “They’re going to get picked up in places with different charges.”
Avila said that he knows people will want them removed immediately, but he thinks the government should make an example of individuals found to be connected to an FTO.
“You’re a terrorist or financing a terrorist organization. You get picked up under terrorist charges, maybe your next trip is to Gitmo, that’s where we keep terrorists,” he said.
Avila also said while people think military intervention is the first step in dealing with these groups, it’s actually the final step. They have already done a lot of recon missions along the border and have already deployed troops, moving pieces in place to go after cartels.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has been given a month to come up with a plan to crack down on the flow of fentanyl and immigrants to the U.S.
Mexico has surged about 10,000 troops to the border, and the country is going after fentanyl labs, but Trump has said he wants Mexico to do more.
Two generals from the U.S. and Mexico signed a joint statement of agreement to collaborate with each other, creating a pathway for open communication between the two nations.
The CIA is also using Reaper drones to covertly hunt for cartels in their fentanyl labs, which Sheinbaum acknowledged was part of a coordinated effort between the U.S. and Mexico that has been going on for years.
