Governor Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) has announced that the Montana National Guard will be collaborating with Governor Greg Abbott (R-Texas) to secure the southern border. According to a recent press release, Gianforte highlighted that this decision comes as every state, including Montana, grapples with the impacts of increased immigration and fentanyl distribution.
In light of the ongoing challenges posed by the southern border situation affecting all states, including Montana, Gianforte has initiated coordination with Texas to address this crisis. The governor pointed out that since 2019, there has been an 11,000% surge in fentanyl seizures in Montana. Additionally, the Montana Department of Justice has recorded an 871% increase in human trafficking cases since 2015. Gianforte further noted that the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) Rocky Mountain Field Division—which covers Colorado, Utah, Montana, and Wyoming—reported seizing over three million fentanyl pills in 2023, marking a 78% increase from the previous year.
The DEA’s Rocky Mountain Field Division stated in a recent press release that fentanyl has become the deadliest drug in America and is now the leading cause of death for Americans aged between 18 and 45. The press release revealed that Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 saw more seizures of fentanyl pills than ever before at both divisional and national levels. Across the U.S., the DEA seized 77 million fentanyl pills along with almost 12,000 lbs. of fentanyl powder. In Montana alone, there were seizures amounting to approximately 17.87 kgs of fentanyl—equivalent to around 106,500 pills.
According to an article from NBC News earlier this year, despite its distance from the border, Montana continues to be specifically targeted by cartels. "People are surprised. You’re as far north as you can get in the United States, and yet we have the cartel here," said Jesse Laslovich, the U.S. attorney for Montana. Both the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels are reportedly operating in Montana.
NBC News also reported that drug operations have specifically targeted Montana's Indian reservations due to a lack of law enforcement. The primary issue currently plaguing Montana is fentanyl, primarily because of its price. State and federal law enforcement officials say that fentanyl pills can be sold for 20 times their price in Montana compared to urban areas closer to the border. A counterfeit pill, which costs only 25 cents to produce, can be sold for $3-$5 in larger cities; however, in Montana, it can fetch up to $100. Consequently, between 2017 and 2020, the opioid overdose death rate in Montana nearly tripled from 2.7 deaths per 100,000 residents to 7.3. "Right now it’s as if fentanyl is raining on our reservation," said Marvin Weatherwax Jr., a member of the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council and a Montana state representative.
Gianforte's official website states that after spending 34 years in the private sector, he became the 25th governor of Montana in November 2020—winning with the highest number of votes in state history and by the largest margin for a first-term governor since 1920. His tenure has been marked by efforts towards job creation, tax reduction, education enhancement and public safety improvement while also expanding public land access.
