Congressman Chip Roy (TX-21) introduced the Drug Cartel Terrorist Designation Act, a landmark piece of legislation aimed at directing the U.S. State Department to formally designate several major Mexican drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).
The bill seeks to codify President Donald Trump’s executive order into law, providing federal authorities with enhanced tools to combat the growing threat posed by these transnational criminal networks.
The legislation specifically targets four of Mexico’s most notorious cartels: the Gulf Cartel, the Cartel Del Noreste, the Cartel de Sinaloa, and the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion. An FTO designation would grant the U.S. government expanded powers to freeze cartel assets, revoke visas of members residing in the U.S., impose stiffer penalties on affiliates, and allocate additional investigative and intelligence resources to dismantle these organizations.
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In a statement, Congressman Roy emphasized the urgent need to address the cartels’ escalating violence and exploitation of the U.S.-Mexico border.
“The cartels have spent the last four years exploiting our border to profit off of misery, fear, and death,” Roy said. “Now that their open-borders cash flow is about to dry up, they have resorted to planting live explosives on the Texas border and shooting at Border Patrol agents in broad daylight. They are terrorists, and we need to treat them like it.”
Roy, who has been advocating for FTO designations since his first months in Congress in 2019, praised President Trump’s executive order as a critical step forward. However, he stressed the importance of codifying the designations into law to prevent future administrations from reversing the policy.
“President Trump’s day-one order to designate them as FTOs and give U.S. authorities more tools to take them down was the right move, but Congress needs to ensure it can’t be undone by a future administration,” Roy said.
The bill also includes provisions to prevent foreign nationals from using an FTO designation as grounds for asylum, closing a potential loophole that could be exploited by individuals seeking to enter the U.S. under false pretenses.
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Roy is joined by 14 House Republican co-sponsors, including Reps. Ryan Zinke (MT-1), Andy Biggs (AZ-5), Michael Cloud (TX-27), Clay Higgins (LA-3), and Byron Donalds (FL-19), among others. The bipartisan support underscores the growing recognition of cartels as a significant threat to national security.
Support from Key Organizations
The Drug Cartel Terrorist Designation Act has garnered strong backing from prominent policy and advocacy groups.
Greg Sindelar, Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, praised the legislation, stating, “It is all too easy for one president to the next to completely dismantle our national security efforts. We applaud all members of Congress seeking to immediately codify the excellent executive orders President Trump signed to strengthen border security and protect American communities. With this legislation enacted, it will not be so easy for any incoming president to undo such important work.”
Chad Wolf, Executive Director and Chair for the Center for Homeland Security and Immigration at the America First Policy Institute, also voiced support. “America First Policy Institute proudly supports Congressional border security efforts to address an imminent threat to the homeland – transnational criminal organizations. Securing the homeland for the American people should be the top priority for Congress, and this effort is an important first step to empowering law enforcement efforts and holding TCOs accountable.”
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The reintroduction of the Drug Cartel Terrorist Designation Act comes amid escalating violence along the U.S.-Mexico border. Cartels, which generate an estimated $14 million per day from drug trafficking, human smuggling, and other illicit activities, have increasingly targeted U.S. law enforcement and civilians. Recent incidents, including the shooting of Border Patrol agents in Fronton, Texas, have highlighted the urgent need for decisive action.
By designating these cartels as FTOs, the U.S. government would gain critical tools to disrupt their operations, dismantle their financial networks, and hold their members accountable under terrorism-related statutes. The bill represents a significant step forward in the ongoing effort to secure the border and protect American communities from the devastating impact of transnational crime.
As the legislation moves through Congress, Roy and his colleagues are urging swift action. “Let’s take this bill up, put it on President Trump’s desk, and take these terrorist criminals down once and for all,” Roy declared.
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