Why It Matters
The Justice Department is expanding its use of terrorism charges to target local street gangs across the United States. The move could result in harsher federal sentences for gang members involved in drug trafficking, particularly those with even indirect connections to foreign cartels. Idaho communities have seen gang activity in Boise, Twin Falls, and other cities, and federal prosecutors say enhanced penalties are needed to disrupt local drug distribution networks.
What Happened
Interim U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Wednesday that federal prosecutors will pursue terrorism charges against members of American street gangs. Speaking at the Border Security Expo in Phoenix, Blanche said the Department of Justice intends to apply the foreign terrorist organization designation to local gangs loosely affiliated with larger groups like the Bloods, Crips, or Latin Kings.
The strategy targets neighborhood-level gangs operating in housing projects or on city blocks. Blanche said these groups are causing significant harm through violence and drug dealing but face insufficient criminal penalties under current law.
Prosecutors plan to charge gang members with terrorism offenses when they obtain drugs from sources connected to foreign cartels, even indirectly. Blanche explained that if a local gang obtains cocaine one step removed from a designated foreign terrorist organization, federal investigators can pursue terrorism charges with additional investigative work.
The designation allows greater cooperation between local police, federal agencies, and the military. It also carries enhanced criminal penalties and longer prison sentences.
Blanche served as a private attorney for President Donald Trump before joining the Justice Department. He became interim attorney general following Pam Bondi’s resignation. During his tenure, he has focused on immigration enforcement and directed the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka after an unscheduled detention facility visit.
By the Numbers
- Enhanced penalties could mean 20-year federal sentences for gang members caught with firearms
- At least 170 people have died in military strikes against drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea
- One Texas district has prosecuted more than 20,000 immigration-related cases in the past year
- About 25 percent of FBI staff has been redirected to immigration enforcement
- Agents from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Marshals have shifted focus to immigration cases
Zoom Out
The Trump administration designated foreign drug cartels as terrorist organizations last year. Blanche praised the move, saying it gives federal agencies more tools to prosecute drug traffickers. He also defended military strikes against suspected drug smuggling vessels, calling them necessary to treat cartels as terrorists rather than ordinary criminals.
The Justice Department has prioritized immigration enforcement over the past year. Blanche said prosecutors will pursue cases against anyone who assaults law enforcement officers, including illegal immigrants, promising the full force of the federal government in response.
Blanche also criticized sanctuary cities that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. He said the Justice Department has considered pulling federal funding from these jurisdictions but worries about harming local police departments. He expressed frustration that lawsuits take too long to resolve the issue.
What’s Next
Federal prosecutors will begin applying terrorism charges to local gang members who can be linked to foreign cartels. The Justice Department will coordinate with local law enforcement agencies to identify targets and build cases using the expanded designation.
Legal challenges to the new approach are likely. Civil liberties advocates may argue that applying terrorism statutes to domestic criminal activity stretches the law beyond its intended purpose.
The administration will continue using military force against suspected drug trafficking operations in international waters. Federal agencies will maintain their focus on immigration enforcement alongside gang prosecution efforts.
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