U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) recently took to social media to urge the Biden Administration to step up and fight the opioid crisis, saying that the border needs to be more secure.
“The Biden Admin needs to take decisive action against America's CCP-fueled fentanyl crisis. Imposing sanctions is a step in the right direction, but we need a comprehensive strategy—including securing our border—to combat this drug that claims more than 70,000 US lives annually,” Hagerty said in a June 6 Twitter post.
A recent NPR report focused on record-breaking drug-related fatalities that have swept across the U.S. There have been 109,680 lives lost primarily due to the intensifying fentanyl crisis in 2022, as confirmed by preliminary CDC data. The article reports a worrying rise of over nine percent in drug deaths occurred in eight states, with Washington and Wyoming experiencing a stark 21 percent surge.
According to a report by The Guardian, the denial by Chinese officials about a connection with the illegal fentanyl trade contrasts with evidence collected by multiple U.S. law enforcement and government agencies, which included the FBI, DHS and military. The article states that China claims they have not been notified of illegal shipments to Mexico, but agencies have been tracking the cartel supply chains and money laundering, which reportedly expanded into China about a decade ago.
According to a letter written by Texas Governor Abbott, as Title 42 expulsions come to a close, the Biden Administration anticipates at least 150,000 illegal migrants are set to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. The letter asserts that this surge of illegal border activity, seemingly encouraged by the Biden administration, is not only impacting Texas communities heavily but extends beyond the state in its ramifications. Mexican cartels and other international criminal entities are exploiting the turmoil, says Abbott, smuggling both people and hazardous drugs like fentanyl into communities throughout the nation, escalating their profits and influence.
According to his senate.gov page, U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty is currently serving his inaugural term representing Tennessee and was elected in 2020. He is on several Senate Committees including Banking, Foreign Relations, Rules & Administration and others. Before his Senate tenure, Hagerty played a pivotal role as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan, America's principal ally in the region and the third-largest economy in the world.
