A U.S. lawmaker targets Mexican drug cartels

Are drug cartels considered terrorists?STORY HIGHLIGHTSTexas Republican wants cartels declared terrorist organizationsAmbassador says if so, U.S. drug users should be considered terror "financiers"American officials are concerned about violence spilling across borderMexican officials say cartels are not insurgent or politicalRELATED TOPICSTerrorismMichael McCaulMexico (CNN) -- Should Mexican drug cartels be considered terrorist organizations? They murder, plot, kidnap, and dismember bodies. They're also responsible for shootouts, explosions, fires and other atrocities.

U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, the chairman of the Homeland Security Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, says they should.

McCaul has introduced a bill that would add Mexico's six dominant cartels to the State Department's foreign terrorist organizations list. The criminal organizations included in the bill are the Arellano Felix organization, Los Zetas, Beltran Leyva, Familia Michoacana, Sinaloa Cartel, and the Gulf Cartel/New Federation.

If the bill is approved, it would allow law enforcement agencies to have increased powers to limit cartels' financial property and travel interests and impose harsher punishments on anyone who provides material support to cartels.

In announcing his bill, McCaul said that "the

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