Hill Country Chronicle

Today, Congressman Chip Roy of Texas reintroduced the Drug Cartel Terrorist Designation Act in Washington. This bill aims to direct the State Department to classify Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs).

The proposed legislation would instruct the Secretary of State to designate specific cartels, including the Gulf Cartel, the Cartel Del Noreste, the Cartel de Sinaloa, and the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion as FTOs. This move seeks to enshrine President Trump's Executive Order into law.

If enacted, an FTO designation would grant federal authorities enhanced powers against these cartels. These include expanded investigative and intelligence resources, tougher penalties for affiliates, revocation of visas for members within the U.S., and freezing assets in American financial institutions.

Congressman Roy commented on his initiative: “The cartels have spent the last four years exploiting our border to profit off of misery, fear, and death... They are terrorists, and we need to treat them like it.” He emphasized that his bill also ensures foreign nationals cannot use an FTO designation as a basis for asylum claims.

Roy is supported by several other representatives in this legislative effort: Ryan Zinke (MT-1), Andy Biggs (AZ-5), Michael Cloud (TX-27), Clay Higgins (LA-3), Pat Fallon (TX-4), Josh Brecheen (OK-2), Paul Gosar (AZ-9), Jodey Arrington (TX-19), Andy Ogles (TN-5), Randy Weber (TX-14), Byron Donalds (FL-19), Beth Van Duyne (TX-24), Keith Self (TX-3), and Roger Williams (TX-25).

Greg Sindlear from the Texas Public Policy Foundation expressed support for the bill stating that it aims to solidify previous executive orders on border security. Chad Wolf from America First Policy Institute also endorsed Congressional efforts for border security as a means to counter transnational criminal organizations.

The full text of Congressman Roy's legislation is available online.