EXECUTIVE ORDER - TAKING ADDITIONAL STEPS TO ADDRESS THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO SIGNIFICANT TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 15, 2019 EXECUTIVE ORDER - - - - - - -   TAKING ADDITIONAL STEPS TO ADDRESS THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO SIGNIFICANT TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS  By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code;  I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, in order to take additional steps to deal with the national emergency with respect to significant transnational criminal organizations declared in Executive Order 13581 of July 24, 2011 (Blocking Property of Transnational Criminal Organizations), in view of the evolution of these organizations as well as the increasing sophistication of their activities, which threaten international political and economic systems and pose a direct threat to the safety and welfare of the United States and its citizens, and given the ability of these organizations to derive revenue through widespread illegal conduct, including acts of violence and abuse that exhibit a wanton disregard for human life as well as many other crimes enriching and empowering these organizations, hereby order:  Section 1.  Subsection (e) of section 3 of Executive Order 13581 is hereby amended to read as follows:     "(e)  the term "significant transnational criminal organization" means a group of persons that includes one or more foreign persons; that engages in or facilitates an ongoing pattern of serious criminal activity involving the jurisdictions of at least two foreign states, or one foreign state and the United States; and that threatens the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States."  Sec. 2.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:     (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.  (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.  (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.                         DONALD J. TRUMP THE WHITE HOUSE,     March 15, 2019.