Expresses support for the President's actions to safeguard national security by designating cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and removing foreign terrorists from the United States.
Jeff Crank
Representative
CO-5
This bill expresses support for the President's actions, including designating certain cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, invoking the Alien Enemies Act, and working with El Salvador to detain non-citizen members of these organizations. It affirms the President's authority to detain, deport, or restrict non-citizens from Foreign Terrorist Organizations. The bill ultimately endorses the complete elimination of these organizations from the United States.
Resolution Backs President's Use of Alien Enemies Act & FTO Designations Against Cartels, Gangs
This resolution throws official support behind a series of recent presidential actions aimed at tackling foreign groups deemed national security threats. Specifically, it endorses Executive Order 14157 from January 2025, which labeled certain cartels and organizations like Tren de Aragua (TdA) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs). The resolution also backs the President's decision in March 2025 to invoke the Alien Enemies Act—a law dating back to 1798—in response to TdA infiltration, and acknowledges the subsequent deportation flights of alleged TdA and MS13 members to El Salvador for detention.
Endorsing Executive Muscle
At its core, this resolution is about affirming the President's power to act decisively against non-citizens linked to designated FTOs. It explicitly supports using the Alien Enemies Act to remove these individuals. This Act grants the President broad authority during specific conflict scenarios (the resolution cites 'infiltration' as the trigger here) to apprehend, restrain, secure, and remove non-citizens considered 'alien enemies.' The resolution essentially says Congress agrees with the President using these tools, including detention, deportation, or restriction, to eliminate these groups from the U.S.
Security Measures and Their Reach
The actions supported by this resolution have significant real-world implications. Designating groups like TdA as FTOs/SDGTs triggers various legal and financial consequences. Invoking the Alien Enemies Act allows for actions against non-citizens from designated groups with potentially fewer due process steps than typical deportation proceedings. The resolution acknowledges the transfer of individuals identified as SDGTs to El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), highlighting an international dimension where another country handles detention based on U.S. designations.
The Bigger Picture: Power, Process, and Precedent
While focused on specific events and groups, this resolution touches on fundamental questions about executive authority in national security matters, particularly concerning non-citizens. It supports leveraging existing, albeit old, laws like the Alien Enemies Act and executive orders (like EO 14157) for contemporary threats. The backing of deportations to third countries like El Salvador also sets a notable precedent. The resolution doesn't create new law but signals legislative agreement with a robust, executive-led approach to removing perceived threats posed by designated foreign organizations operating within U.S. borders.