America First Policy Institute Announces New Research on the FTO Designation for Mexican Cartels

Washington, D.C. – Today, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) and the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) released new research on the designation of Mexican cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). The piece, titled, "Arming America to win: Designating the Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs)" examines concrete implications of labeling the Mexican cartels as FTOs in light of 47^thPresident Donald J. Trump’s determination to restore the integrity of our Nation’s borders.

“To secure our borders, protect our communities, and defend our sovereignty, we must confront the cartels with the full force of the law,” said AFPI Executive Director Chad Wolf. “The FTO designation sends a clear message that their extortion, trafficking and violence will not be tolerated, and we will act decisively to dismantle their networks and restore safety and justice to our borders."

In the past several years, the cartels have become more financially enriched and empowered to carry out organized crime, including mass human trafficking across the Southern border. Designating these cartels as FTOs is justified under U.S. law and will give the U.S. government and law enforcement new and necessary powers to combat them.

Click here to access the newly released AFPI-TPPF research.