Biden needs to do something fast. Will he? Probably not.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a warning about an ongoing threat posed by drugs originating from Mexico, specifically mentioning fentanyl, and its potential impact on American citizens. According to the agency’s Homeland Threat Assessment for 2024, it anticipates that these drugs entering the United States will likely result in more American fatalities than any other threat they have identified.
According to Fox, the assessment highlights a concerning trend in which U.S.-based traffickers have become more involved in the production and distribution of fentanyl. This involvement has led to the creation of even more lethal drug combinations, compounding the danger posed by this already deadly substance.
The report underscores the grim statistics of over 100,000 overdose deaths in the previous year, with 75% linked to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Fentanyl is primarily manufactured in Mexico using Chinese precursor chemicals and then smuggled across the southern border. It is frequently disguised as counterfeit prescription pills, making it challenging for users to discern its true nature, and even small doses can be fatal.
The assessment indicates that seizures of fentanyl at the border have been on the rise through 2023, with Customs and Border Protection poised to set records for fentanyl seizures. Concurrently, seizures of other drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine have remained relatively steady or decreased, but these substances are increasingly being mixed with fentanyl. The report also warns that drug traffickers in the United States have gained greater influence over the composition of drugs, leading to the distribution of more deadly mixtures.
Additionally, fentanyl has been appearing more frequently in counterfeit prescription pills such as Adderall and Xanax, raising the risk of overdose, particularly for unsuspecting users. Traffickers have also been adulterating fentanyl powder and pills with the animal sedative xylazine, further complicating standard opioid overdose treatments.
Despite the growing domestic role of drug production, Mexican drug cartels remain the primary smugglers of drugs like fentanyl, with the Sinaloa Cartel and the New Generation Jalisco Cartels noted as dominant players in this illicit trade.
The Biden administration has attempted to implement a comprehensive strategy to address the fentanyl crisis, emphasizing increased investments in treatment and recovery, cooperation with other countries to combat drug smuggling, and the enhancement of detection technologies at the border. The administration has reported significant progress, including the prevention of substantial fentanyl shipments and the apprehension of more criminals involved in fentanyl-related crimes in the past two years than in the preceding five years combined.
Republicans have connected the fentanyl crisis to the ongoing border situation, arguing that the administration’s policies have exacerbated the problem. The administration, in response, has called on Congress to reform the system and allocate additional funding.
In its threat assessment, DHS also highlights other concerns, including encounters with individuals whose names match those on the terror watch list at the border, a record number of migrants encountered, and the potential for terrorists and criminals to exploit the increased flow and complex security environment to enter the United States.
The assessment predicts that the threat of terrorism from radicalized individuals in the United States will remain high, primarily stemming from lone offenders or small groups, as well as foreign terror groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS seeking to rebuild abroad.
Furthermore, the assessment acknowledges threats from both domestic and foreign entities targeting critical infrastructure, including cyberattacks. It specifically mentions the 2024 election cycle as a potential event for violence and foreign influence targeting election infrastructure, processes, and personnel.
China is identified as a constant threat, employing predatory economic practices, espionage, market manipulation, and the use of artificial intelligence to create more convincing misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation campaigns, as well as to develop more elusive and efficient cyberattacks.
To enhance public awareness of these threats, DHS is using the Homeland Threat Assessment as its primary mechanism to replace the National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS), reserving NTAS for specific or imminent threats or terror-level changes. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stressed the importance of sharing threat information with the public and partners across various sectors to better address evolving security challenges and protect the homeland.