U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) on Jan. 16 led more than a dozen Republicans in unveiling legislation that would require the federal government to consider designating Mexican drug cartels and Tren de Aragua as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs).
An FTO designation would make affiliated criminal members inadmissible to the United States, enhance the ability to cut off the cartels’ financial resources, and enable law enforcement to combat their operations on a more targeted basis, according to the congressman.
“It’s plain and simple: bad policies embolden cartels, fuel humanitarian crises, and put innocent Americans in harm’s way,” Rep. Gonzales said. “The criminals who exploited our open borders are not going to go quietly into the night; we have to get ahead of them and strike while the iron is hot.”
The congressman sponsored the Security First Act, H.R. 506, alongside 14 original cosponsors, including U.S. Reps. Young Kim (R-CA), David Valadao (R-CA), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), and Randy Feenstra (R-IA).
“The Security First Act moves the ball forward on designating Mexican drug cartels and lethal gangs like Tren de Aragua as foreign terrorist organizations and gives our law enforcement agencies more tools to combat illicit activity at our borders,” said Rep. Gonzales. “This legislation is a step in the right direction toward our shared goals of implementing tangible border security solutions.”
If enacted, H.R. 506 also would increase the federal Operation Stonegarden grant from $90 million to $110 million for each of fiscal years 2025-2028. The grant provides resources to state and local law enforcement agencies involved in border security operations, according to a bill summary provided by the congressman’s staff.
Additionally, H.R. 506 would require a report on technology needs at the southern border to better prevent terrorists from entering the U.S. and reduce drug smuggling, as well as a report on hiring practices at Customs and Border Patrol to improve recruitment and retention of officers, the summary says.
The Texas Border Sheriff’s Coalition and the Southwest Border Sheriff’s Coalition endorsed the Security First Act.