The U.S. Attorney General issued a memorandum following the signing of an executive order by President Donald Trump to address the "total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations." This list includes the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), as well as Mara Salvatrucha and Tren de Aragua.
The document highlights the need for a fundamental change in mindset and approach to do more than just mitigate the damage caused by these groups in the United States. It mentions that containing the distribution of fentanyl by these groups is no longer sufficient, and a more robust action is sought.
The executive order signed by Trump on January 20 classifies these criminal groups as "terrorists," holding them responsible for the high levels of opioid addiction in the U.S. population, which has claimed around 70,000 lives. The attorney general's memorandum emphasizes the need for greater coordination among the country’s security agencies to dismantle these groups more effectively.
It mentions the importance of leveraging resources from the Department of Justice and empowering federal prosecutors across the country to collaborate with the Department of Homeland Security and other governmental entities in the task of eliminating these threats to national sovereignty. Under these guidelines, initiatives are being promoted to immediately begin these coordinated efforts.
