Latest news with #ForeignTerrorist
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Time of India
‘No longer the hunters, you're the hunted': US indicts Sinaloa Cartel leaders on narco-terrorism charges
Representative image (Picture credit: ICE) Two top leaders of a violent faction within Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel have been indicted on unprecedented narco-terrorism charges after allegedly trafficking massive amounts of fentanyl into the United States. Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, are now facing terrorism-related offences in a federal case unsealed on Tuesday, as announced by US attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. The pair are accused of leading 'one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world,' said Gordon, who warned cartel leaders during a press briefing, 'You are no longer the hunters. You are the hunted.' The indictment is the first by the department of justice's newly formed Narco-Terrorism Unit and follows the Trump administration's designation of the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in February, under Executive Order 14157. According to the news agency Associated Press, this is a rare move as such labels are typically reserved for politically motivated terrorist groups. The father-son duo, along with five other leaders of the Beltrán Leyva Organization (BLO), a powerful offshoot of the Sinaloa Cartel, have been charged with narco-terrorism, providing material support to terrorism, drug trafficking , and money laundering. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo The BLO has long been known for its brutal tactics including kidnappings, torture and murders, and operates with violent impunity across Mexico and Central America, including Tijuana. Federal officials, citing court documents, allege the Inzunzas trafficked 'tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl' into the US. On December 3, 2024, Mexican law enforcement seized more than 1.65 tons of fentanyl from locations in Sinaloa tied to the duo, reportedly the largest fentanyl seizure globally, according to ICE. 'These charges highlight the unwavering efforts of transnational criminal organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel to flood our communities with deadly drugs,' said Shawn Gibson, ICE HSI 's San Diego special agent in charge. The case stems from 'Operation Take Back America,' a nationwide DOJ initiative to dismantle cartels and transnational crime . US attorney general Pamela Bondi declared, 'Their days of brutalizing the American people without consequence are over, we will seek life in prison for these terrorists.' FBI San Diego's acting special agent in charge Houtan Moshrefi added that the cartel's activities 'not only destroy lives and communities, but also threaten our national security.' Other indicted cartel leaders include Fausto Isidro Meza Flores ('Chapo Isidro'), Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe ('El Musico'), and Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar ('El Chapito'). All remain fugitives. Pedro Inzunza Noriega, also known as 'Sagitario,' reportedly operates from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, and is paralysed following a past attack by rival cartel members, as per AP. The charges carry penalties ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment, including multimillion-dollar fines. The case is being prosecuted by assistant US attorneys Joshua Mellor and Matthew Sutton.
Newsweek
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Donald Trump Scores Major Legal Win Over Mass Deportations
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A federal judge in Pennsylvania ruled on Tuesday that President Donald Trump can use the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) to expedite the removal of suspected gang members, in a boost for the administration's mass deportation plans. Why It Matters In March 2025, Trump invoked the AEA to authorize the expedited deportation of Venezuelan nationals, suspected of being affiliated with the notorious Tren de Aragua gang. The administration labeled the group a Foreign Terrorist Organization, alleging it engaged in criminal activities such as human trafficking and drug smuggling, and posed a national security threat. The ruling could have profound implications for immigration policy and executive authority, especially as civil liberties groups have raised concerns about its potential for abuse and erosion of due process. President Donald Trump smiles after signing an executive order in the East Room of the White House, on April 8, 2025, in Washington D.C. President Donald Trump smiles after signing an executive order in the East Room of the White House, on April 8, 2025, in Washington D.C. Alex Brandon/AP What To Know U.S. District Judge Stephanie Haines ruled in favor of the Trump administration's use of the AEA to deport Venezuelan nationals suspected of being members of criminal gangs. Haines, a Trump appointee, said that she determined the White House proclamation "complies with AEA." However, she also noted that the administration "must provide greater notice to those subject to removal under the AEA than they are currently providing." While allowing the expedited deportation process to continue, the judge mandated that individuals must be given at least 21 days' notice to contest their removal. This requirement represents a significant shift from the previous practice, where individuals were only given 12 to 24 hours' notice. Haines concluded that the evidence presented by the Trump administration supported the president's reasoning behind the proclamation. She referenced the official designation of the Tren de Aragua gang as a foreign terrorist organization by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The ruling from Haines diverges from decisions made by federal judges in Colorado, New York, and South Texas. They ruled that it was unlawful for Trump to invoke the act to deport suspected gang members outside of the typical immigration court process. As a result, all three issued orders blocking or temporarily halting such deportations in their respective districts. Just hours after Haines's ruling on Tuesday, a judge in West Texas also issued a temporary block on deportations under the AEA. Haines's decision could pave the way for deportations under the legislation in her western Pennsylvania court district, which includes the Moshannon Valley Processing Center, the largest immigration detention facility in the Northeast. However, migrants targeted for deportation would still have the opportunity to challenge their removals, potentially bringing their cases before different judges. The Trump administration has not announced any new AEA deportations since mid-March, when the swift removal of over 130 Venezuelans to an El Salvador prison sparked legal challenges. Immigrant advocates have called on the Supreme Court to clarify how much notice migrants should receive before removal under the act and to review the legality of Trump's use of the law. The administration has requested the court lift its block on deportations in North Texas, claiming adequate notice has been provided. Before Trump's presidency, the AEA had been used only three times, always during wartime. What People Are Saying Lee Gelernt, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, told ABC News: "The court properly rejected the government's argument that they can remove people with only 12 hours' notice. But we disagree with the court's ruling that the Alien Enemies Act can be used during peacetime." U.S. District Judge Stephanie Haines wrote: "The court cannot help but ask: Is a Foreign Terrorist Organization like [Tren de Aragua] not the modern equivalent of a pirate or robber?" What Happens Next Deportations under the AEA may proceed in Pennsylvania, but remain blocked elsewhere.
The Hill
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
First judge approves Trump invoking Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that President Trump can invoke the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) to remove Tren de Aragua members but determined the administration has provided insufficient notice before carrying out the deportations. U.S. District Judge Stephanie Haines's ruling contrasts with several other federal judges who've ruled Trump illegally invoked the wartime statute, saying Trump is within his rights to deport members of a Foreign Terrorist Organization — a designation he has made for Tren de Aragua. Haines, a Trump appointee, emphasized her 'unflagging obligation is to apply the law as written.' 'Having done its job, the Court now leaves it to the Political Branches of the government, and ultimately to the people who elect those individuals, to decide whether the laws and those executing them continue to reflect their will,' Haines wrote in her 43-page ruling. The new split comes as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which has filed a wave of lawsuits across the country challenging Trump's use of the AEA, calls on the Supreme Court to immediately take up the issue and swiftly provide a nationwide resolution. The 1798 law enables authorities to summarily deport migrants amid an 'invasion' or 'predatory incursion' by a foreign nation. The law was previously invoked three previous times, all during war, but Trump has looked to use it against alleged Venezuelan gang members. Within hours of invoking the law in mid-March, the administration used it to deport more than 100 migrants to a Salvadoran megaprison. Haines said she wasn't resolving whether the president can use the law to remove gang members — one of several consequential legal questions the judge took care to avoid. But by focusing on Trump's power to use the AEA against foreign terrorist organizations, her ruling put her at odds with several other judges who have weighed the matter. Judges in three other jurisdictions have found Trump does not have the power to use the AEA to target gang members, saying the law was not meant to be used outside of an invasion or incursion. U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., a Trump appointee in Texas, said the rarely used law can only be invoked when an 'organized, armed force' is entering the United States, writing that Trump's invocation 'exceeds the scope of the statute and, as a result, is unlawful.' 'The Proclamation makes no reference to and in no manner suggests that a threat exists of an organized, armed group of individuals entering the United States at the direction of Venezuela to conquer the country or assume control over a portion of the nation. Thus, the Proclamation's language cannot be read as describing conduct that falls within the meaning of 'invasion' for purposes of the AEA,' he wrote in a decision earlier this month. The flurry of litigation has created an ever-changing patchwork of protections for migrants in immigration detention who've been told they are subject to removal under the law. Under those other courts' rulings, the AEA cannot be used against migrants detained in Colorado and parts of New York and Texas. But Haines's ruling lifts a temporary order she issued last month blocking the government from using the AEA to deport any migrant detained in the Western District of Pennsylvania. The government can now proceed, so long as they provide 21-days' notice to migrants in both English and Spanish. 'The Court recognizes that it may need to conduct further analysis and consider additional issues related to the specifics of notice in the future,' Haines wrote. 'However, at this preliminary stage of this case, the Court finds that the foregoing is appropriate and complies with the law.'
Scoop
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Sanctioning A Key Network Involved In Fentanyl Trafficking, Fuel Theft, And Crude Oil Smuggling
The United States is leading global efforts to stop the illicit manufacture and trafficking of fentanyl, a leading cause of death of people aged 18 to 49 in the United States. Today, Treasury is targeting a key Mexico-based network involved in fentanyl trafficking, fuel theft, and crude oil smuggling. The United States is sanctioning three Mexican nationals and two Mexico-based entities linked to Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). This network generates hundreds of millions of dollars annually, benefitting CJNG's narco-terrorist enterprise through a slew of criminal activities, including fentanyl trafficking, fuel theft, and smuggling crude oil from Mexico across the U.S. southwest border. Today's action follows our recent designation of CJNG as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). In addition, under the Narcotics Rewards Program, the Department of State is offering a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, aka 'El Mencho', the co-founder and current leader of CJNG. The United States remains committed to protecting our nation and the American people by keeping poisonous drugs like fentanyl off our streets and disrupting the revenue streams profiting Mexico-based FTOs and SDGTs like CJNG. Today's action further demonstrates the Trump Administration's commitment to eliminating cartels and protecting the safety of the American people. The U.S. Department of the Treasury previously sanctioned CJNG in April 2015 and December 2021, and the U.S. Department of State designated CJNG in February 2025. The United States took today's sanctions actions pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14059 and 13224, as amended.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ex-New Mexico judge arrested for helping illegal migrant
April 26 (UPI) -- Federal authorities have arrested a former Magistrate Court Judge in New Mexico for allegedly helping an undocumented migrant, while also confirming charges against a Milwaukee judge arrested earlier for similar reasons. "No one is above the law," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement issued by the Justice Department. Former New Mexico Judge Joel Cano and his wife Nancy Cano were arrested earlier this week, for allegedly providing housing to Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, an undocumented Venezuelan national on a property the couple owned. Officials contend Ortega-Lopez has gang ties the two were aware of but ignored. "The allegations against Judge Dugan and Judge Cano are serious: no one, least of all a judge, should obstruct law enforcement operations," Bondi said in the statement. "Doing so imperils the safety of our law enforcement officers and undermines the rule of law. The Department of Justice will continue to follow the facts -- no one is above the law," she said. Ortega-Lopez was arrested with several other people at the end of February at a property owned by the Cano's near Las Cruces, N.M. Authorities also recovered several firearms at the time. Officials contend Ortega-Lopez has ties to Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal organization designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States. Jose Cano faces one count of tampering with evidence while Nancy Cano was charged with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence. Both face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Authorities also officially confirmed charges against Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan who was arrested in her courtroom Friday. Dugan is charged with one count of "obstructing and impeding a proceeding before a department or agency of the United States" and one additional count of "concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest," for helping Mexican national Eduardo Flores-Ruiz avoid detention at the courthouse last week. The two charges carry maximum prison sentences of five years and one year respectively. FBI Director Kash Patel initially confirmed the arrest on X Friday before deleting the post, which later reappeared. Patel also posted Friday evening a photo of Dugan in handcuffs. "We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject -- an illegal alien -- to evade arrest," Patel wrote in the social media post, which also congratulates the FBI's Milwaukee field office. Federal agents later arrested Flores-Ruiz, who had previously been removed from the United States in 2013. He faces firearm charges and a maximum 15-year prison term if convicted. President Donald Trump has made removing migrants illegally in the United States one of his administration's priorities.
