FTOForeign Terrorist Organization // Designated Feb 20, 2025 // U.S. State Dept.
Profile Overview //
Organization Type
Street Gang / Franchise
Designation Status
US FTO and SDGT
FTO Designation
Yes Feb 20, 2025
Designation Detail
FTO designation by the U.S. State Department, Feb 20, 2025.
Area of Operation
Central America, North America
Force Strength
DATA DEFICIT: No sourced figure.
Leadership
DATA DEFICIT: not sourced
Headquarters
El Salvador and United States
Coordinates
13.6929, -89.2182
Last Verified
2026-11-12
Operational Brief //
CommandEleven Intelligence Desk // Transnational Organized Crime Desk, status as of November 12, 2026
Bottom Line Up Front. MS-13, or Mara Salvatrucha, was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the State Department on February 20, 2025, in the same action as Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG, Cartel del Noreste, La Nueva Familia Michoacana, Cartel del Golfo, Carteles Unidos and Tren de Aragua. It operates in Central America and the United States.
What We Could Not Source. Leadership, force strength, financing and 2026 developments were not in sources we could verify. Treated as DATA DEFICIT. This profile needs enrichment.
History, Goals and Doctrine //
Ideology
None. Profit-driven criminal enterprise.
Terror Group Links //
Link Nature
Logistical / Smuggling
Evidence Tier
DATA DEFICIT
Capabilities and Finance //
Weaponry Focus
Small Arms (Pistols/Rifles)
Technology Profile
DATA DEFICIT: No sourced assessment. We do not publish technical specifics.
Financial Vectors
Protection Money / Extortion
Cyber Assessment
DATA DEFICIT: No sourced information.
Governance and Control //
Territorial Controllers
DATA DEFICIT: Plaza-level controllers are not publicly mapped.
Administrative Responsibility
DATA DEFICIT: No sourced information.
Administrative HQ
DATA DEFICIT: Not publicly confirmed.
Command Table
DATA DEFICIT: No sourced information.
Court Registry
DATA DEFICIT: No sourced information.