Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, stated that the current border policy is negatively impacting tribal lands due to individuals linked to cartels smuggling "illicit substances" across the border. Gosar made this statement on April 10 in a press release from the House Committee on Natural Resources (HNR).
"Joe Biden's open border policies have had detrimental effects on Indian country, with drugs and cartels infiltrating these communities at an alarming rate,” said Rep. Gosar," said Congressman Paul Gosar (AZ), U.S. Representative of Arizona's 9th Congressional District (R), according to House Committee on Natural Resources. "As lawbreakers surge across our southern border, they often bring with them illicit substances and ties to drug cartels, leading to increased substance abuse, addiction, and violence while jeopardizing the sovereignty of these communities and further undermining the autonomy of Indigenous people."
According to the HNR press release, the Subcommittee discussed the effects that border policies have had on tribal communities, featuring testimonies from tribal leaders about the current crisis and potential solutions.
The press release indicated that the policies of the Biden Administration have transformed every state into a border state. It highlighted that cartels have specifically targeted tribal lands in states far removed from the border, such as Montana and Wyoming. The preference for these lands stems from their lack of law enforcement and higher value of illicit substances compared to other regions in the US.
"Between 2019 and 2022 federal drug agencies have seized more than 2,000 fentanyl-laced pills, 3 pounds of heroin, and 65 pounds of methamphetamine destined for Montana Indian Reservations," said Bryce Kirk, Councilman for the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation, according to his testimony at the hearing. He also underscored Montana's insufficient law enforcement and high profit margin for illegal drugs. "Thus, there is almost no risk for targeting and expanding their markets to the Reservations," Kirk added.
In response to this crisis, Kirk advocated for an increase in law enforcement and prosecution of individuals intending to sell illegal substances on reservations during his testimony. He also proposed enhanced mental health and substance abuse programs as additional methods to combat the effects of the border crisis on tribal lands.
Gosar is currently serving his seventh consecutive term in Congress representing Arizona’s Ninth Congressional District, according to his website. In addition to being chairman for the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Gosar is a member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources within the House Committee on Natural Resources. He also serves on the Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services and the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs within the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
