On February 8, Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) issued a statement specifically addressing the Pentagon, urging them to allocate U.S. military resources towards dismantling the leadership of the Jalisco Cartel.
Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) has recently joined in and introduced companion legislation in the House, aligning himself with the efforts of Senator John Doe.
The bill mandates that the Department of Defense (DoD) provide regular reports to Congress every 90 days on their progress in eliminating the leadership of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. You can find the original bill text here.
According to Senator Cotton, the Mexican drug cartels have been responsible for killing Americans at a higher rate than any terrorist group in history. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known for its extreme violence, poses a direct threat to the security of Americans in border states and beyond. Senator Cotton emphasizes the urgency for the Biden administration to develop a strategy that will ensure these murderers are held accountable for their actions.
Luttrell emphasized that cartels are taking advantage of our border, running extensive operations for human and drug trafficking. He expressed concerns about the widespread danger posed by cartel activity, which affects every corner of our country.
“The safety of the American people hinges on the identification and dismantling of the Jalisco cartel, which is not only the most dangerous criminal organization in Mexico but also the second most powerful drug cartel. It is imperative that we take decisive action to ensure that the Jalisco cartel does not continue to operate with impunity at our border. This newly proposed legislation emphasizes the need for the United States military to be prepared to engage and eliminate the Jalisco cartel, if it is determined that deploying the Armed Forces is the most effective course of action. We must do whatever it takes to protect our great nation.”
The cartel’s illicit activities have expanded over time, but the primary sources of revenue for the organization continue to be cocaine and methamphetamine.
The JNGC has faced criticism from federal and state lawmakers in the past.
In 2019, Representative Chip Roy from Texas proposed a bill that aimed to classify the cartel as a foreign terrorist organization, alongside the Gulf Cartel and the Cártel del Noreste faction of Los Zetas.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump had shown “interest” in designating the cartels as such, but he hesitated under pressure from Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
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