In a sweeping move aimed at cracking down on cross-border crime, the Trump administration has issued new sanctions against two top figures of a violent Mexican drug cartel.

According to Fox News, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned two Cartel del Noreste leaders as part of a wider campaign to dismantle criminal organizations threatening border communities on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico boundary.

On Wednesday, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions targeting two Mexican nationals: Miguel Angel de Anda Ledezma and Ricardo Gonzalez Sauceda. Both men are identified as commanding figures within the Cartel del Noreste, or CDN, a group that U.S. authorities say has a long history of drug trafficking and violent crime.

The sanctions ensure that any assets the two men hold within the United States, or assets controlled by U.S. persons, are now frozen. The move comes in conjunction with President Donald Trump’s earlier executive action designating several Mexican drug cartels, including CDN, as foreign terrorist organizations—a label that authorizes increased U.S. legal and financial measures against them. The U.S. Department of State officially gave CDN its terrorist designation on February 20. According to federal officials, this label reflects the cartel’s escalating use of extreme violence and intimidation, often crossing into acts resembling domestic terrorism.

Escalating Violence Behind the Sanctions

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent commented that the administration remains committed to completely dismantling cartels like CDN. He said the U.S. is “holding these terrorists accountable” for their criminal behavior and violence toward communities along the border and beyond. In Bessent’s words, CDN and its leadership have “carried out a violent campaign of intimidation, kidnapping and terrorism.” He emphasized that cutting off their access to resources such as money, drugs, and weapons is a major goal of the administration's approach to security along the southern border.

The cartel’s campaign of brutality has sparked concern on both sides of the border. Law enforcement agencies, particularly along the southern Texas border, frequently deal with CDN incidents. Gunfights between cartel factions, sometimes caught on surveillance aircraft from the Texas Department of Public Safety, illustrate the dangerous reach of these organizations.

Cartel Threat Still Looms in Border Region

Paul Perez, who leads the National Border Patrol Council chapter in South Texas’s Rio Grande Valley, warned that despite reductions in illegal crossings, the danger posed by cartels has not eased. While border policies have changed, cartel activity continues to disrupt local communities and smuggling routes.

According to Perez, groups like CDN operate with increasing sophistication. He noted that these are not simple criminal gangs, but rather strategic enterprises using advanced tools like drones to stay ahead of law enforcement. “They’re not the street gang-level managers,” he said. “They’ve got a lot of people... who know how to get their product across.” He also pointed to a key problem in Mexico, where cartels act “with impunity,” sometimes beyond the reach of national police or military forces. That lawlessness, he argued, often spills over into American territory, with criminals crossing north to escape conflict or carry out operations.

Unchecked Violence and Dangerous Tactics Described

Perez described CDN's methods as brutal and indiscriminate, saying the group is known for “beheadings and kidnappings” and will “harm anybody that gets in their way.” He stressed that CDN behaves similarly to other major cartels such as the Sinaloa cartel, with involvement in trafficking fentanyl, narcotics, and human beings.

When asked about the impact of the new sanctions, Perez was optimistic. He suggested that targeting leaders could deeply affect the organization’s stability by generating internal power struggles. “The cartels are going to feel it,” he said. “It’s a full-frontal assault from the United States.” He added that the administration’s actions offer border protection not seen under previous administrations. “That’s the protection that we’re bringing to the border that we weren’t able to bring under President Biden,” he claimed. In Perez’s view, the difference lies in an aggressive approach to prosecution and enforcement.

White House Position on Border Strategy

President Trump has made the fight against Mexican cartels a central part of his border strategy. His administration has enforced executive measures that allow federal agencies to bring more legal pressure against transnational organized crime groups.

Other elements of this broader strategy include expanded arrest efforts by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and heightened border protection measures. Officials say these combined efforts are working to reduce cartel influence within the United States. “President Trump, on the campaign trail, and since he’s been in office, has repeatedly said he’s going to do everything he can to protect the United States,” Perez said. “And he’s doing that. He’s taking on the cartels. He’s not afraid of them.”

Conclusion: Ongoing Efforts and Future Impact

With the recent sanctions, the administration signals a continued intention to press forward with aggressive actions against cartel figures. Cutting off financial resources and isolating leadership may prove effective in disrupting cartel functionality and reducing their reach into American communities. Paul Perez voiced strong support for the administration’s strategy, saying that Trump’s promises to protect citizens are being fulfilled through real policy initiatives. “We want to decimate the cartel activity,” he stated. “So he’s done what he said he was going to. We support that 100%.”

As the complex fight against organized crime unfolds, federal agencies and border patrol units continue to adapt, track, and target cartel activities. The long-term success of these efforts remains to be seen, but for now, the administration is escalating its tactics in a bold attempt to secure the border and dismantle organized trafficking networks.