Urge Congress designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations
Impact
Supporting statistics reveal the scale of the crisis, with approximately 110,000 deaths from drug overdoses in the fiscal year 2022, predominantly linked to fentanyl. The bill posits that the illicit drug trade not only fuels public health emergencies but also contributes significantly to violent crime and destabilizes communities. By designating these cartels as terrorists, the resolution aims to mobilize federal resources more effectively to address the growing crisis and to enhance local, state, and national capabilities in combatting drug-related violence.
Summary
SR242 urges the United States Congress to designate the Sinaloa Cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, and similar organizations as foreign terrorist organizations. The resolution highlights the national security threats posed by these drug cartels, emphasizing their role in the production and distribution of fentanyl, a potent opioid that has led to an epidemic of overdoses and deaths across the United States. The resolution argues that by recognizing these cartels as terrorist organizations, law enforcement would gain greater authority to combat their operations effectively.
Contention
While supporters of SR242 believe that this designation will empower law enforcement and improve responses to the opioid crisis, opponents may argue that such declarations require careful consideration of the implications for civil rights and policing practices. Additionally, there are concerns about whether this approach effectively addresses the root causes of drug addiction and cartel violence, including socio-economic factors. The discourse around SR242 highlights a critical intersection between public health policy, law enforcement, and national security in addressing the challenges posed by drug cartels.
Declaring an invasion of the State of Texas by transnational cartel terrorists; urging the Governor to accelerate construction of a wall along the southern border; urging the U.S. Congress to deploy military forces.
Recognizing that article I, section 10 of the United States Constitution explicitly reserves to the States the sovereign power to repel an invasion and defend their citizenry from the overwhelming and "imminent danger" posed by paramilitary, narco-terrorist cartels, terrorists and criminal actors who seized control of our southern border.
Security First ActThis bill reauthorizes the Operation Stonegarden program from FY2025 through FY2028 and addresses other border security issues. (Operation Stonegarden provides grants to enhance the border security capabilities of state, local, and tribal governments.)From FY2025 through FY2028, the money from unreported monetary instruments seized from individuals crossing the U.S.-Mexico border and transferred into the Department of the Treasury general fund shall be made available without further appropriation to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to fund Operation Stonegarden.DHS must report to Congress on (1) DHS hiring practices from 2018 to 2024, and (2) whether certain criminal gangs and Mexican drug cartels meet the criteria to be designated as foreign terrorist organizations. DHS must also periodically report to Congress about the technology needed to secure the U.S.-Mexico land border.