President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday designating drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, potentially leading to a militarized approach towards the border and Latin America. The order specifically mentioned Mexican drug cartels and other criminal groups in Latin America, such as the Venezuela gang Tren de Aragua and Salvadoran gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), citing threats to the safety of the American people and the stability of the Western Hemisphere.
The order did not name specific groups but indicated that Cabinet secretaries would recommend organizations for terrorist designation within the next 14 days. This action was part of a series of orders signed by Trump at the beginning of his administration.
