U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) has expressed concerns about Mexican drug cartels, describing them as a "constant threat" to the people of Arizona. He introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at preventing these cartels from recruiting teenagers through social media. Kelly shared his statement in a January 17 press release.
The proposed legislation, known as the Combating Cartels on Social Media Act, seeks to establish a national strategy through the Department of Homeland Security. The goal is to prevent transnational criminal organizations from using social media for recruitment purposes while enabling platforms to voluntarily report such posts to assist law enforcement in disrupting criminal activities targeting youth, according to Kelly's press release.
In May 2022, Sheriff Mark Dannels of Cochise County highlighted a trend of cartel recruitment via social media. He reported that drivers are being lured into transporting undocumented migrants in "load cars," with offers of up to $2,000 per passenger for driving migrants from the border to predetermined locations. Nearly all apprehended drivers are U.S. citizens, and many come from the Phoenix area or out of state. The multi-agency task force "Operation Safe Streets" is actively working to curb this practice, which often involves high-speed chases.
Arizona Sheriffs’ Association President and Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes emphasized the urgency of addressing online recruitment by cartel members, stating that it harms Arizona families not only along the Southern border but across the entire state. Rhodes described the bill as a welcome action that will strengthen law enforcement efforts and help protect public safety.
Cochise County has become a hub for drug and human smuggling operations, with cartels exploiting social media platforms to recruit Americans, including teenagers, according to CBS News. Deputy Chris Oletsky from the Cochise County police department explained that 100 juveniles, some as young as 12 years old, have been caught smuggling while driving vehicles borrowed from family or friends. Oletsky described it as "100% Uber for the cartels."
Senator Mark Kelly is a former Navy pilot and NASA astronaut who has served as a U.S. Senator for Arizona since 2020.
