The United States designates neighborhood 18 as a foreign terrorist organization

The State Department announced Tuesday that designates Barrio 18 as a foreign terrorist organization, saying that the gang has carried out attacks against officials, security personnel and civilians in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.

Barrio 18 is one of the largest gangs in the northern hemisphere, said the United States Department of State in a statement, added that the designation “further demonstrates the unwavering commitment of the Trump administration of dismantling posters and gangs and guaranteeing the security of the US people.”

More than a dozen groups have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations since the beginning of President Trump’s second term. In an executive order in February, Trump declared eight drug cartels as terrorist groups, including the Sinaloa Drug Poster, which is considered the world’s largest drug trafficking organization, and Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

The designation announced on Tuesday will place Barrio 18 on a list along with those organizations and others such as MS-13 and Aragua Train. Previously, the designation was typically used for groups such as the group of the Islamic State or the Qaeda that use violence for political purposes, instead of crime rings such as posters.

Barrio 18 was also named “especially designated global terrorist.”

The Trump administration has used the foreign terrorist designation to justify multiple lethal strikes on ships supposedly carrying drugs, including at least two of the Coast of Venezuela. Several Democratic legislators have delayed strikes, arguing that the Administration has not given a legal justification to use the army.

“The United States will continue to protect our nation by maintaining illicit drugs outside our streets and interrupting the sources of income financing the violent and criminal activity of gangs and vicious drug cartels,” the State Department said Tuesday.

The Association press contributed to this report.