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** The ‘Deterrence’ Double Standard
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Mike LaSusa, Deputy Director of Content
23 JAN, 2026
As a journalist who has covered both the drug trade and immigration for most of my career, I’ve been struck by the parallels in how the administration has handled these two issues.
The key concept is “deterrence.” For decades, the United States has implemented immigration policies based on the idea that making immigration difficult and dangerous will cause would-be migrants to stay home. Trump has taken this logic further, using aggressive enforcement ([link removed]) within the United States to push immigrants to “self-deport.”
In the immigration space, the “deterrence” logic seems to have borne fruit. Migration numbers have plummeted under Trump, slashing the profits of smuggling networks ([link removed]) and other criminals who had exploited people trying to reach the United States.
Trump has also applied the “deterrence” logic to the drug trade, claiming that his campaign of deadly missile strikes ([link removed]) on alleged drug boats has all but eliminated maritime trafficking.
However, as I wrote in last week’s newsletter ([link removed]) , the bombings may have caused traffickers to shift routes, but they certainly haven’t stopped trafficking.
That’s because “deterrence” doesn’t work against the drug trade. Making trafficking harder paradoxically makes it more lucrative. When authorities put more effort toward stopping the drugs, traffickers simply pass the increased costs of defeating those enforcement efforts on to consumers.
It’s rare that you can copy and paste a crime-fighting solution from one domain to another. Keep an eye on our coverage as we continue to follow the consequences of this expanding “deterrence” logic.
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After ex-President Nicolás Maduro’s arrest, Venezuela’s criminal order faces upheaval. This series examines the fallout — power shifts, criminal networks, and what comes next.
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Check out the rest of the stories from Latin America and the Caribbean that shaped the week.
OnTheRadar (#OnTheRadar) | Editor’s Pick (#Editors-pick) #Editors-pick | Don’t Miss (#Dont-Miss) | In the Spotlight (#In-The-Spotlight) | Audio (#Audio)
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#OnTheRadar ()
** This Week in Organized Crime
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◉ ([link removed]) Prison attacks linked to Barrio 18 expose a deepening clash between Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo and the justice system. ([link removed])
◉ ([link removed]) [link removed]’s transitional justice system delivers a symbolic ruling against a former paramilitary leader involved in the country’s peace process. But does it matter? ([link removed])
◉ ([link removed]) Record seizures highlight the cocaine pipeline to Europe. ([link removed])
Watch the video ([link removed])
#Editor’sPick ()
Investigations > ([link removed])
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** How InSight Crime Tracked Down an Explosive Narco Video in Honduras ([link removed])
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In 2024, InSight Crime published a video ([link removed]) showing Carlos Zelaya, the brother-in-law of Honduran President Xiomara Castro, in a room full of the country’s most powerful drug traffickers. This is the story of how we got that video.
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< Criminal Profiles ([link removed])
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** In the Spotlight ()
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** Narco Video Shows Traffickers Discussing Bribes With Honduras President’s Brother-in-Law ([link removed])
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Bayron Ruiz, a convicted drug trafficker, provided InSight Crime with a crucial 2013 video showing Carlos Zelaya, brother-in-law of the current president of Honduras, negotiating bribes with traffickers.
This is the original story, published on September 3, 2023.
The video’s publication sent political shockwaves through the country and upended bilateral relations between the US and Honduras. Since then, the country has reversed course multiple times on extradition to the United States, turning a key anti-drug policy into a political bargaining chip.
** Don’t Miss ()
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🔗 Diosdado Cabello profile ([link removed])
🔗 Tareck El Aissami profile ([link removed])
🔗 ([link removed]) Samark López Bello profile ([link removed])
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** #Audio () JAN 20, 2026
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** The Story Behind the Narco Video Story: In One Reporter’s Words
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**
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Reporter Jeff Ernst explains how the narco video was obtained and verified.
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InSight Crime is sponsored by:
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The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency ([link removed])
Copyright (C) 2026 InSight Crime.All rights reserved.
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