Frank Costa, President of NEXGEN Protection Services on Terrorist Organizations:

The Trump administration designated eight Latin American cartels as terrorist organizations on Thursday, a designation typically reserved for groups with political goals achieved through violence.

The U.S. Department of State filed the notice of the designation in The Federal Register on February 20. The action targets the following cartels:

Cartel del Golfo (CDG), also known as the Gulf Cartel and the Osiel Cárdenas-Guillén Organization
Cartel del Noreste (CDN), also known as the Northeast Cartel and Los Zetas
Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), also known as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel
Cartel de Sinaloa, also known as the Sinaloa Cartel, the Mexican Federation, and the Guadalajara Cartel
Carteles Unidos, also known as United Cartels, Tepalcatepec Cartel, Cartel de Tepalcatepec, the Grandfather Cartel, Cartel del Abuelo, and Cartel de Los Reyes
La Nueva Familia Michoacana (LNFM)
Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)
Tren de Aragua (Aragua Train)

The eight cartels’ members are described as “foreign persons who have committed or attempted to commit, pose a significant risk of committing, or have participated in training to commit acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States,” according to the State Department filing.

Source:
Gates, M. (February 20, 2025). United States Designates 8 Cartels as Terrorist Organizations. Security Management Magazine.