{"id":2405773,"date":"2025-02-23T15:56:16","date_gmt":"2025-02-23T20:56:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senators-propose-bill-to-curb-drug-smuggling-at-southern-border-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-02-23T15:58:10","modified_gmt":"2025-02-23T20:58:10","slug":"senators-propose-bill-to-curb-drug-smuggling-at-southern-border-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senators-propose-bill-to-curb-drug-smuggling-at-southern-border-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Senators propose bill to curb drug smuggling at southern border &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsenators-propose-bill-to-curb-drug-smuggling-at-southern-border-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2405773&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced the Border Enforcement, Security and trade Facilitation act of 2025, aimed at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/border-patrol-chief-breaks-down-border-bill-declares-border-has-never-been-secure-over-last-3-decades\/\" title=\"... Patrol Chief: ... ... Fails, ... Remains Insecure for 30 ...\">reducing drug smuggling<\/a> at the southern border by employing image\u2063 technicians. this initiative comes\u2062 in response to heightened discussions about border\u200d security during President donald trump&#8217;s second\u200d term and is \u200da reaction to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dea-delivers-major-blow-to-sinaloa-cartel-with-15-arrests-and-enormous-drug-seizures\/\" title=\"DEA deals heavy blow to Sinaloa Cartel: 15 arrests and massive ... busts\">significant drug seizures<\/a> at the border. The\u2064 bill seeks to create jobs \u200din border security for five years, although its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/inside-the-gop-plan-to-oppose-bidens-iran-deal\/\" title=\"Inside the GOP Plan to Oppose Biden\u2019s Iran Deal\">long-term plans<\/a> and costs remain unclear.<\/p>\n<p>Key sponsors include Senators Mark Kelly \u2062(D-Arizona), James\u200d Lankford (R-Oklahoma), and John\u2062 Cornyn (R-Texas). Kelly emphasizes the necessity of increased trained personnel to aid in identifying threats at ports of entry, while \u200cLankford notes that enhanced personnel presence will bolster\u2064 security and assist in \u200danalyzing cargo images\u2063 in real time\u200d to combat trafficking.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the positive intentions behind the bill, critical details about the effectiveness of \u2062this technology on drug smuggling\u2063 and the overall costs of the program have not been disclosed, leaving doubts about\u2063 its potential impact.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Senators propose bill to curb drug smuggling at southern border<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2016266\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square) &ndash; A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced a bill to use image technicians to ebb the flow of drugs smuggled into the United States from the southern border.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The Border Enforcement, Security and Trade Facilitation Act of 2025 comes amid increased conversation around border security in President Donald Trump&rsquo;s second term, and in response to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">high-profile drug busts<\/a> on the southern border. It would create technician jobs in border security for five years, but with no clear plan for the future.<\/p>\n<p>The bill is sponsored by U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona; James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, and John Cornyn, R-Texas.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Customs and Border Protection needs more trained personnel to stop illegal drugs, weapons and human smuggling from entering our country,&rdquo; Kelly said in a statement this week. &ldquo;By adding image technicians to identify threats at ports of entry, we&rsquo;re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rising-crime-rate-could-hurt-democrats-in-midterm-elections\/\" title=\"Rising Crime Rate Could Hurt Democrats in Mid... Elections\">giving law enforcement<\/a> another essential tool to secure the border while keeping trade flowing.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>It is unclear exactly what impact the technology would have on smuggling of drugs or other illicit goods. The bill also left out the program&rsquo;s cost. Kelly&rsquo;s press office did not respond to a request for comment from The Center Square on either of these issues.<\/p>\n<p>Nearly 1,000 pounds of fentanyl &ndash; the drug that has become the center point of the substance abuse issue in the U.S. in recent years &ndash; was seized along the southwestern border in January 2025. It was the month&rsquo;s lowest tally since 2022.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Adding more personnel at ports of entry will immediately provide our country with another layer of security to prevent traffickers from smuggling weapons or drugs across the border,&rdquo; said Lankford. &ldquo;Border law enforcement has repeatedly asked for more support to analyze cargo images in real time, so this bill also gives them tools they need to catch criminals and secure our border.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The program would run for five years, starting from when the bill is passed. No details have yet come out about next steps for the program or the image technicians it would employ.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2016266\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2016266\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Senators introduce bill to reduce drug smuggling at the border<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2405774,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/drugs-fentanyl-opioid-istock-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[38683,4762,3709,44085],"class_list":["post-2405773","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-drug-smuggling","tag-legislation","tag-senators","tag-southern-border"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/drugs-fentanyl-opioid-istock-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2405773","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2405773"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2405773\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2405777,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2405773\/revisions\/2405777"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2405774"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2405773"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2405773"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2405773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}