Trump signals he may designate organizers, financial backers of violent ICE protests as terrorists
Officially designating an organization as a terrorist organization has significant legal, political, and social consequences.
By Amanda Head
Published: July 17, 2025 10:57pm
Updated: July 17, 2025 11:55pm
President Donald Trump says that if the violent Immigration and Customs Enforcement riots happening across the country are discovered to have central organizers or professional backing he would designate them foreign or domestic terror organizations, similar to what he did with Mexican cartels in February.
"I would do that, and in a minute," Trump told Just the News, No Noise television show Wednesday. I would do that."
Officially designating an organization as a terrorist group in the U.S. criminalizes providing material support, freezes assets, and restricts travel for members and supporters under laws such as the PATRIOT Act.
The designation also allows for enhanced law enforcement surveillance, investigations, and federal resource deployment while signaling a security threat domestically and internationally. However, it can also polarize public opinion and, for foreign groups, may lead to global sanctions, though domestic designations are rare due to free speech concerns.
https://justthenews.com/nation/crime/ice-protest-organizers-domestic-terrorist
