The Jalisco New Generation Cartel/Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), whose leader was killed in a Mexican military operation on Sunday, is present in cities across the U.S., according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
A 2020 National Drug Threat Assessment report by the agency found that the cartel wields influence in cities from New York to Los Angeles. This is the latest study by the DEA breaking down the cartel's presence per U.S. state.
The U.S. Department of State Consular Affairs told U.S. citizens in multiple locales in Mexico to shelter in place due to ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity on Sunday.
The warning came after Mexico's Ministry of Defense announced that a prominent leader of the CJNG, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, was seriously injured during a military operation and later died during an air transfer to Mexico City.
Violence erupted in parts of western Mexico after the cartel leader's death, The Hill reported.
The U.S. State Department designated CJNG as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in February 2025.
The Department of Justice said CJNG is a transnational criminal organization that controls a significant portion of the narcotics trafficking trade and has a presence in nearly every part of Mexico and dozens of other countries, including the U.S. The cartel also engages in money laundering, bribery, extortion of migrants, taxing of migrant smugglers and other criminal activities, according to the Justice Department.
The DEA said CJNG "is one of the most significant threats to the public health, public safety, and national security of the United States," adding that cartel associates, facilitators and affiliates operate in almost all 50 U.S. states.
DEA, on its website: "The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is a key supplier of illicit fentanyl to the United States, and one of Mexico's most powerful, influential, and ruthless transnational criminal organizations."
The U.S. State Department, in a press release last year: "CJNG is a transnational organization with a presence in nearly every part of Mexico. In addition to trafficking fentanyl, the group engages in extortion, migrant smuggling, oil and mineral theft, as well as weapons trade."
Areas that remain under the shelter in place order include Guadalajara (Jalisco), Puerto Vallarta (Jalisco/Nayarit), Ciudad Guzman (Jalisco), Tijuana (Baja California), Chiapas and Michoacan.
While the order is in effect, U.S. citizens in the affected regions are advised to avoid areas around law enforcement activity, seek shelter and minimize unnecessary movements and monitor local media for updates. They are also advised to follow the directions of local authorities, call 911 in case of an emergency and keep family and friends aware of their location and well-being via phone, text and social media.