The Trump administration freezes assets of Mexican cartel leaders responsible for flooding American communities with deadly fentanyl, dealing a crippling financial blow to one of the most violent drug-trafficking organizations in Mexico.
Key Takeaways
- The Trump administration imposed sanctions on high-level members of the Cartel del Noreste and Jalisco New Generation Cartel, freezing U.S. assets and prohibiting Americans from doing business with them
- The sanctions target Miguel Angel de Anda Ledezma and Ricardo Gonzalez Sauceda, involved in drug and arms trafficking, as well as the cartels’ fuel theft networks that fund fentanyl trafficking
- Angel mom Anne Fundner, who lost her son to fentanyl, praised the action as sending a “very strong message” to cartels operating across the border
- The Jalisco New Generation Cartel has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization with approximately 19,000 members
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized using “all available tools” to combat drug cartels to “Make America Safe Again.”
Trump Takes Decisive Action Against Mexican Cartels
In a significant move to combat the devastating fentanyl crisis plaguing American communities, the Trump administration has imposed economic sanctions on multiple Mexican nationals and entities linked to powerful drug cartels. The Treasury Department announced sanctions against two high-level members of the Cartel del Noreste, Miguel Angel de Anda Ledezma and Ricardo Gonzalez Sauceda, as well as three Mexican nationals and two entities connected to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. These criminal organizations are directly responsible for trafficking deadly fentanyl into the United States, contributing to tens of thousands of American overdose deaths annually.
The sanctions specifically target the cartels’ financial operations, freezing all U.S.-based assets and prohibiting American citizens from conducting business with the designated individuals and organizations. Ricardo Gonzalez Sauceda was arrested in February with significant quantities of fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, and weapons. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, with approximately 19,000 members, has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist. This cartel became extremely violent after splitting from the Sinaloa cartel in 2010 and is led by Nemesio Rubén “el Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, who has a $15 million reward for his capture.
Derek Maltz Sr., a former agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), has called for Mexican drug cartels to be held accountable for what he describes as "massive amounts" of American deaths. He suggests that these organizations should be treated as "Narco-Terrorist… pic.twitter.com/Aw6XoWrZvT
— Derek Maltz Sr (@derekmaltz_sr) November 23, 2024
Cutting Off Cartel Finances and Fuel Theft Networks
The sanctions specifically target the cartels’ fuel theft networks, which have caused significant revenue losses for the Mexican government while simultaneously funding fentanyl trafficking operations into the United States. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized the administration’s comprehensive approach to dismantling these criminal enterprises. “We will continue to use all available tools to relentlessly target drug cartels and foreign terrorist organizations to Make America Safe Again,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Paul Anthony Perez, president of the National Border Patrol Council, praised the sanctions, noting they “will ensure that the cartels no longer can provide unlimited funds to further their criminal enterprises and allow the U.S. government to disrupt their daily activities on both sides of the border.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has also discussed efforts to improve traceability of fuel shipments to combat theft and smuggling, stating, “So that any tanker truck carrying fuel, whichever kind, we know: where it came from; where it’s going; if it’s imported, with what import permit did it enter, where was it stored, and from there to which service station is it going to be taken. If a tanker has stolen fuel from a pipeline and is stopped on the highway, it has to show where that fuel came from; if it doesn’t, there’s something illegal.”
Angel Mom Praises Trump’s Action Against Fentanyl Traffickers
Anne Fundner, a mother who lost her son to a fentanyl overdose, praised the Trump administration’s actions as sending a “very strong message” to the cartels. Fundner believes the designation of these cartels as foreign terrorist organizations demonstrates the administration’s serious commitment to stopping the flow of deadly drugs across the border. She expressed that had Trump been president when her son died, the increased border security might have prevented the tragedy. The Cartel del Noreste is recognized as one of the most violent drug-trafficking organizations in Mexico, with its members routinely engaged in extreme violence.
“The Trump administration is targeting two high-level Mexican cartel members with sanctions, the Treasury Department announced Wednesday, in a move angel mom Anne Fundner calls a ‘very strong message.'”
Paul Perez emphasized that these sanctions fulfill President Trump’s campaign promises, stating, “President Trump’s actions against the cartels fulfill the promise that he made when he stated time and time again that he would not allow the cartels to operate with impunity on our borders or within the interior of the United States.” He added that the new sanctions “deal a significant blow and serve to send the message to all cartels, as well as to those who wish to harm Americans, that President Trump will not just talk about it, he will follow through.”
The White House has also linked the fentanyl crisis to Trump’s broader tariff plan, which aims to hold Mexico, Canada, and China accountable for stopping drug flows into the United States. These sanctions represent just one component of the administration’s comprehensive strategy to combat the fentanyl epidemic that has devastated countless American families and communities across the nation.
