(The Center Square) – The Judiciary Committee gathered Tuesday to discuss how to protect Americans from cartel-driven crime.
In his opening statement, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley criticized Democratic lawmakers. He said that they have weakened border security, undermined law enforcement, and contributed to the crisis with cartels, fentanyl and other drugs, and illegal immigration.
Witnesses from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations said cartels are expanding operations past the border, sparking an increase in fentanyl distribution across the United States.
“Just this month, an investigation out of FBI Atlanta and DEA Atlanta Field Division led to the largest fentanyl seizure in Georgia’s history – valued at nine million dollars – with the arrest of Bartholomew Keeton Harralson – a convicted felon,” said Jose Perez, assistant director of the Criminal Investigative Division of the FBI. “Enough fentanyl was seized to kill four times the state’s population.”
Jason Stevens, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations, said that “the activities of drug cartels directly and significantly intersect with these mission areas, bringing them exorbitant profits but at the cost of death, violence, and suffering to Americans.”
President Donald Trump designated the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations shortly after taking office for his second term.
“Cartels recently designated as foreign terrorist organizations have existed for decades – and as such have built incredibly sophisticated methods of trafficking illicit drugs, laundering profits, and conducting their criminal enterprise throughout the world,” Stevens said
In major U.S. cities like Los Angeles, drug cartels have long facilitated the distribution of drugs, violence, and addiction in local communities.
“Just weeks ago, one of our teams encountered a chilling sight during a raid on a suspected cartel safehouse in downtown Los Angeles,” said Matthew Allen, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration. “Inside a converted warehouse, just blocks from the DEA’s own office, was a floor-to-ceiling mural of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” leader of CJNG.”
Title 8 refers to immigration laws and how they are a crucial part of the fight against cartels, which smuggle drugs and people across the border.
“While maintaining our core mission of combating drug trafficking, this authority allows DEA to help disrupt transnational networks that traffic both drugs and people, enhancing public safety and national security,” Allen said.
