Families affected by cartels urge Trump admin to classify more as terrorist orgs

A group of Americans who have lost family members to violence perpetrated by drug cartels is urging the Trump administration to designate additional criminal groups as terrorist organizations, according to a letter exclusively obtained by ABC News.

The letter, which was sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday, was authored by members of a newly formed coalition--American Families Against Cartel Terrorism--and calls for the Juárez Cartel and its armed wing, La Línea, to be added to the State Department's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations, or FTOs.

"As grieving United States citizens—parents, spouses, siblings, children, and survivors—we write to you carrying the excruciating pain of losing loved ones to the brutal violence of Mexican drug cartels," the letter begins.

"This is not just about our families, it is about keeping Americans safe and getting justice for all American victims and ensuring that no American is left behind," it continues. "We want to prevent our fellow citizens from ever experiencing the pain and loss we have faced."

An FTO label criminalizes the provision of any material support to the designated organization and automatically bars members of the group who do not hold American citizenship from entering the country. It also allows victims of the organization's attacks and their survivors to sue for compensation.

Traditionally, the U.S. government has used the tool against extremist groups, but the Trump administration has already shown a willingness to broaden the interpretation of FTO criteria, designating eight drug cartels operating in Latin America earlier this year, as well as two Haitian gangs.

However, critics of the administration's policies have argued the designations don't significantly change the U.S. government's ability to investigate and prosecute cartels.

"We are grateful for the strong actions you have already taken to combat drug cartels. We ask you to designate the Juárez Cartel and its armed wing La Línea as FTOs, and keep sending a clear message that the United States will not tolerate the murder of innocent Americans or the terrorization of our communities," the letter to Rubio states.

Members of American Families Against Cartel Terrorism (AmFact) shared their personal memories of loss in statements provided to ABC News.

"On November 4, 2019, I came face to face with the Juárez Cartel and its armed wing La Línea, as they sprayed our family with thousands of bullets," said Devin Langford, a survivor of a brutal cartel massacre who lost his mother, Dawna Langford, and two younger brothers, Trevor, 11, and Rogan, 2, in the horrific attack.

"I can never bring back my mother and siblings, but I can speak out so that no American should have to fear Mexican drug cartel violence," he said.

The president of American Families Against Cartel Terrorism, Adriana Jones, lost her sister when she was shot and burned to death alongside four of her children in the same violent incident.

"Mexican cartels are criminal organizations that traffic in death and destruction, and they threaten the safety of families across the United States," she said. "AmFACT is giving survivors and families a voice, so no one else has to endure the pain, terror, and heartbreak that we've lived through."