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U.S. Restricts Visas for 75 Relatives and Associates of Sinaloa Cartel Figures

The step extends a sanctions-first strategy to choke cartel networks through travel bans.

Overview

  • The State Department, which announced the move Monday, barred entry to 75 people tied to cartel-linked figures sanctioned under Executive Order 14059.
  • Officials said the targets are family members or close personal or business associates of people linked to the Sinaloa Cartel.
  • The department did not release the names of those restricted, saying the action is meant to deter crime and protect Americans.
  • Rubio framed the group as a designated terrorist organization and noted the cartel’s role in trafficking fentanyl, which the president labeled a weapon of mass destruction.
  • The visa step follows broader actions that include 617 DEA arrests announced in September and Treasury sanctions on Sinaloa figures, with OFAC citing more than 325 sanctions under the drug-trafficking order.