FL S1020

Florida Legislature urges the U.S. Secretary of State to designate drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, with the goal of mitigating and eventually eliminating their operations

Cites drug cartel activities including human smuggling, human trafficking, weapons trafficking, money laundering, drug smuggling, extortion, and kidnapping as threats to U.S. national security

References U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizing 27,000 pounds of fentanyl and millions of fentanyl pills in federal fiscal year 2023, estimated to represent only 10-15% of fentanyl actually sent across the border annually

Notes that during federal fiscal year 2023, Customs and Border Protection encountered 172 individuals on the terrorist watchlist at the border, nearly double the previous year and more than the past 6 years combined

Directs the Florida Secretary of State to send copies of the memorial to the President, leaders of both chambers of Congress, the U.S. Secretary of State, and all members of Florida's congressional delegation