The Justice Department has instructed federal prosecutors to use terrorism statutes against Mexican officials complicit in drug trafficking, marking a significant escalation in the Trump administration's approach to combating cartels. Associate Deputy Attorney General Aakash Singh made the directive during an internal conference call, instructing prosecutors to triple indictments of corrupt officials who enable cartels.

This aggressive stance follows Trump's executive order designating Latin American drug cartels as terrorist organizations. The US has already indicted Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya and nine other Mexican officials, with DEA head Terrance C. Cole stating this is "just the start" of targeting Mexican politicians. Mexico has sent 90+ cartel operatives to the US recently, potentially providing intelligence for further cases.

The approach has severely strained US-Mexico relations, with President Claudia Sheinbaum criticizing the actions as an affront to Mexican sovereignty. The strategy may give the US leverage in trade negotiations ahead of a July deadline. This hardline approach represents a sharp departure from previous administrations and puts Sheinbaum in a difficult political position domestically.