Representative Greg Steube (R-FL) has introduced a resolution giving Congressional authorization for the Trump Administration to use military force against the Mexican drug cartels and several other transnational criminal groups declared foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs).
Shortly after assuming office, President Donald Trump designated several gangs and cartels, such as Venezuela's Tren de Aragua, El Salvador's MS-13, and several of the most prominent Mexican drug cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation, the Gulf Cartel, Cartel de Noreste (better known as Los Zetas), and several others.
Rep. Steube's resolution specifically targets these organizations for the authorized use of military force, especially as Tren de Aragua associate Jose Ibarra murdered Laken Riley in February 2024, and the gang was involved in the takeover of an Aurora, Colorado, apartment building.
The cartels also profited heavily during the border crisis under the Biden Administration, at one point killing 100,000 Americans per year via fentanyl smuggled into the country.
In comments to Fox Digital, Rep. Steube said, "These are not ragtag bands of low-level lawbreakers but organized criminal enterprises that profit off death and addiction," adding, "We can no longer ignore the deliberate invasion of Mexican drug cartels into our neighborhoods and communities. Far too many innocent people have suffered at the hands of the cartels."
"Until such time that the Mexican government finally steps up and squashes the drug cartels who use Mexico as their home base, Congress must give President Trump and Secretary Hegseth the green light to take a sledgehammer to these criminal networks and their supply chains. My joint resolution will authorize the Trump administration to use the full force of the American military against the nine largest drug cartels operating out of Mexico," the Florida Congressman concluded.
Many Florida Republicans have agreed to use military force against the cartels, as Representative Mike Haridopolos (R-FL) told The Floridian in late January, "It is a de facto invasion, and clearly, the Biden Administration just turned a blind eye to it."
