Terrorist Organizations

The U.S. government uses three statutory criteria to designate a foreign organization as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA):

1. The organization must be foreign. - It cannot be a U.S.-based entity.
2. The organization must engage in terrorist activity—as defined in INA Section 212(a)(3)(B)—or terrorism, as defined in the Foreign
   1. Relations Authorization Act. This includes:
   2. Carrying out, planning, or preparing for terrorist attacks.
3. Retaining the capability and intent to engage in such activity, even if no recent attacks have occurred. - The organization’s terrorist activity must threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security of the United States, including its national defense, foreign relations, or economic interests.

The designation is made by the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney General and Secretary of the Treasury, after a detailed administrative record is compiled and Congress is notified. Designations can be reviewed and revoked if circumstances change or if national security warrants it.

The designation is made by the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney General and Secretary of the Treasury, after a detailed administrative record is compiled and Congress is notified. Designations can be reviewed and revoked if circumstances change or if national security warrants it.

The United States Department of State maintains a list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), which are designated based on their involvement in terrorist activities. As of January 14, 2026, the most recent designations include the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood, and several groups previously designated in 2025 such as Ansarallah (Houthis), Viv Ansanm, Gran Grif, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and Los Lobos and Los Choneros.

Notable groups on the FTO list include:

• al-Qa’ida (AQ) – Designated October 8, 1999.
• ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) – Designated December 17, 2004.
• Hamas – Designated October 8, 1997.
• Hezbollah (Hizballah) – Designated October 8, 1997.
• Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) – Designated October 8, 1997.
• Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) – Designated September 1, 2010.
• Islamic State’s Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) – Designated January 14, 2016.
• Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) – Designated September 6, 2018.
• Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN) – Designated September 18, 2025.

In 2025, the U.S. also designated major Mexican drug cartels as FTOs, including the Cartel del Golfo, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), Cartel de Sinaloa, Carteles Unidos, Tren de Aragua, and Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), marking a significant policy shift to combat transnational criminal organizations linked to terrorism.