Washington, Apr 30 (AP) The Trump administration has told Congress that it intends to designate Haitian gangs as foreign terrorist organisations, according to people familiar with the notification.

The State Department had similarly labeled eight Latin American crime organisations as it ratcheted up pressure on cartels operating in the US and anyone assisting them, and the new move indicates that the administration plans to put similar pressure on gangs from Haiti. The designation carries with it sanctions and penalties for anyone providing “material support” for the group.

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It comes after a series of steps against the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which was designated a foreign terror organisation and then dubbed an invading force under an 18th-century wartime law to justify the deportation of Venezuelan migrants to a notorious El Salvador prison under President Donald Trump's sweeping immigration crackdown.

According to the notification sent to congressional committees on April 23, the Trump administration said it intends to designate the Haitian gangs Viv Ansamm and Gran Grif as foreign terrorist organisations, according to two people familiar with the message, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details that have not yet been made public.

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A third person confirmed the foreign relations committees in the House and Senate received the notification. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The designation follows a Trump administration move in February to nix protections that shielded half a million Haitians from deportation. (AP)

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