They say great minds think alike, and whether or not you think their minds are great, Arizona Speaker of the House Steve Montenegro and President Donald Trump were clearly thinking alike on Wednesday, as they both took action to treat violent cartel members as terrorists.
On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced it will be designating cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a public notice set to be published in the Federal Register on Thursday, that he had concluded there is a “sufficient factual basis” under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to designate eight groups as FTOs.
The eight groups identified by the Trump administration include: Tren de Aragua; Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13; the Sinaloa Cartel; New Generation Cartel of Jalisco; United Cartels; Northeast Cartel; Gulf Cartel; and La Nueva Familia Michoacana, or LNFM, many of which go under multiple different names, according to FOX News.
Here in Arizona, Montenegro has been “leading the charge” for a similar approach since last year, and he announced that progress is being made after two bills, House Bill 2855 (HB2855) and House Concurrent Resolution 2055 (HCR2055), were passed by the House Judiciary Committee.
Montenegro vowed to advance the bills “swiftly to a full House vote.”
The bills declare drug cartels as terrorist organizations and empower the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to take every action within its authority to combat these violent criminal enterprises.
“Arizona is on the frontlines of a war that Washington has refused to fight until President Trump arrived. These cartels are not just smuggling drugs; they are running sophisticated, brutal operations that profit off human misery—trafficking women and children, flooding our streets with fentanyl, and killing Americans at an unprecedented rate,” said Montenegro in a press release. “This is a necessary step in our fight to defend Arizona communities, uphold the rule of law, and protect innocent lives.”
According to Montenegro:
- Cartel violence is escalating, and transnational criminal organizations control the import and distribution of deadly drugs like fentanyl, meth, and heroin.
- Terrorist threats are growing—from 2021 to 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted 282 individuals on the terrorist watchlist illegally entering the southwest border—a staggering 3033% increase over the prior three years.
- Fentanyl deaths are skyrocketing—seizures of the lethal drug at the border have nearly tripled, equating to billions of deadly doses flooding U.S. communities.
Montenegro says the legislation aligns directly with the House Republican Majority Plan, which prioritizes public safety, protecting individual liberties, and preserving the American Dream. In 2022, Arizonans overwhelmingly passed Proposition 314, sending a clear message that securing our border and stopping cartel-driven crime is a top priority. HB2855 and HCR2055 build on that mandate, recognizing the invasion-level threat these organizations pose and ensuring Arizona is equipped to respond.
“Arizona House Republicans stand firm in our commitment to protect our state. We will take decisive action to secure our border, fight fentanyl, and stop the cartels that are waging war on our communities,” Montenegro added. “Governor Hobbs vetoed this legislation in the last session, but with HB2855, we’re giving her another opportunity to do the right thing and sign it. If she refuses, Republicans will send HCR2055 to the Arizona voters—giving the people a direct say in the fight against drug cartels and the devastation they bring to our communities.”