21 Attorneys General Call On Biden To Treat Mexican Drug Cartels Like The Terrorist Organizations They Are

In a bid to rectify the chaos caused by President Joe Biden’s open border policies, 21 Republican attorneys general are formally requesting the federal government designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations.

In a Let me know The Republican coalition sent a request to Biden, U.S. Secretary Of State Antony Blinken, on Wednesday. “the Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG, and other similarly situated Mexican drug cartels be designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations” Federal law would allow state and federal law enforcement agents to be granted “increased powers to freeze cartel assets, deny entry to cartel members, and allow prosecutors to pursue tougher punishments against those who provide material support to the cartels.”

“Traditional counter-narcotics efforts are inadequate to address the threat posed by the Mexican drug cartels,” The document states. “Now that the cartels have made widespread use of assassinations and armed insurgency against the Mexican government, FTO designation is the only way to disrupt these increasingly violent cartel tactics and weaken their criminal enterprise.”

The letter was signed by Jason Miyares (Virginia Attorney General), and focuses on the alarming rise of American drug overdoses, especially those caused by synthetic opioids like fentanyl. According to Figures from the Drug Enforcement Administration, 66 percent of America’s more than 100,000 overdose deaths last fiscal year were related to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 8,425 lbs. of fentanyl smuggled into the United States through the U.S. Mexico Border.

“The threat these drug cartels pose is real and imminent—which is why this country must escalate its response,” Miyares spoke in a Statement. “Law enforcement agencies need every tool available to fight against this public health and national security crisis, and designating these cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations would be an important first step in confronting the gravity of this dangerous crisis.”

While Mexico-based cartels trafficking drugs into the U.S. isn’t a new problem, the Biden administration’s open border policies have made it easier. The administration, for example, opened its borders in June 2021. Announcement It would end Trump’s era “Remain in Mexico” policy which required illegal border crossers seeking refuge to remain in the Latin American country for their court hearing. The administration has also sought to eliminate Title 42, a health policy that allows federal officials to expel illegal migrants with minimal processing.

These policies have led to an increase in illegal border crossing attempts, which has forced CBP officials into prioritizing processing lawbreakers over security. The agency reported that December was its best month. Processed More than 250,000 illegal immigrants were arrested, which is a 7 percent increase over the previous month. CBP officials alone will increase their fiscal year 2022 budget by 7 percent. reported A staggering 2.3 million people were apprehensive, compared to the 1.7million reported in 2021.

Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer at The Federalist. He is also a graduate of The University of Mary Washington. He is also a content writer for Convention of States Action, and his work has been featured.