Sen. Hassan Supports Trump's Tough Tackle Against Fentanyl: Let's Wipe Out the Cartels
Dealers found peddling fentanyl could face charges of murder under the auspices of a forthcoming legislation.
Senator Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., discusses the fight against the fentanyl crisis with Fox News.
EXCLUSIVE: On Tuesday, a new legislative proposal was introduced in both the House and Senate that aims to crack down on fentanyl traffickers who kill by holding them accountable for felony murder.
Under the current U.S. legal system, a mandatory minimum of 20 years is the penalty for the same crime, but the legal process prevails as a non-murder case. This new legislation seeks to ramp up the weight and consequences of dealers to further attack the fentanyl scourge that has taken around 280,000 American lives since 2021, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIH).
*WHITE HOUSE DISPLAYS LAWN SIGNS SHOWCASE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIME*
The Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act was unveiled on Tuesday. (Reuters)
Senator Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Representative Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, have presented this bicameral bill, which also coincides with National Fentanyl Awareness Day. The legislation now moves to committee in both houses.
"Drug cartels have exploited loopholes at our borders, peddling illicit substances into our country, while our neighborhoods suffer the consequences," Gonzales said to our website Digital. "My bill sends a firm message to those who work with cartels and other unsavory characters – if you deal the drug and cause an innocent life to be lost, justice will be served. Our law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to combat America's drug epidemic; it's time we matched their efforts with tougher penalties for fentanyl dealers."
While the death toll is staggering, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimates that "approximately 64,000 pounds of fentanyl have been seized at the southern border," which is enough to potentially kill "14 billion people."
"I've witnessed firsthand how the scourge of fentanyl has wreaked havoc on Iowa communities," Senator Joni Ernst told our website Digital on Tuesday. "I've been working tirelessly for years to protect Americans and halt this catastrophic epidemic. It's long overdue for us to escalate the punishment for fentanyl distributors responsible for the deaths of too many Iowans."
*WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCES 100-DAY ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN AFTER BIDEN 'PURPOSEFULLY UNSECURED THE BORDER'*
Recently, Tom Homan claimed that the Biden Administration "purposefully unsecured the border," leading to a surge in illegal immigrants bringing fentanyl into the U.S.
The influx of this dangerous drug has largely been linked to the increase in illegal immigrants over the past four years during the Biden Administration. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) estimates that "over 90% of intercepted fentanyl is stopped at Ports of Entry (POEs), where cartels attempt to smuggle it primarily in vehicles driven by U.S. citizens."
With a recent drop in border apprehensions, the death toll resulting from fentanyl consumption has also decreased. The CDC reported in February with the latest data showing overall drug overdose deaths dropping 24% from October 2023 to September 2024.
President Donald Trump's Border Czar, Tom Homan, stated at a White House press conference Monday morning that the Biden Administration "purposefully unsecured the border."
Preston Mizell is a writer with our website Digital covering breaking news. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter @MizellPreston
Preston Mizell is a writer with our website Digital covering breaking news.
- Senator Maggie Hassan advocates for a tougher stance against fentanyl traffickers, aligning with President Trump's approach, as highlighted in her discussion with Fox News.
- The new legislative proposal, introduced in both the House and Senate, aims to intensify penalties for fentanyl dealers responsible for felony murders, coinciding with National Fentanyl Awareness Day.
- The bill, presented by Senators Joni Ernst and Representative Tony Gonzales, seeks to address the fentanyl crisis by ramping up the consequences for dealers, following a surge in fentanyl-related deaths since 2021.
- The Department of Homeland Security has estimated that over 64,000 pounds of fentanyl have been seized at the southern border, a quantity that could potentially kill 14 billion people.
- Recently, concerns have been raised about the surge in illegal immigrants bringing fentanyl into the U.S., with critics arguing that the Biden Administration has purposefully unsecured the border, contributing to this issue.
