EXCLUSIVE: As drugs flow across border, new bill would slash traffickers’ government benefits

On the heels of one other record-setting 12 months for unlawful border crossings, Sen. Marsha Blackburn is rolling out laws focusing on traffickers’ wallets, denying them entry to welfare, public housing and different federal advantages.

“This laws ensures that hardworking American taxpayers — already crushed by inflation — usually are not compelled to fund the life of offenders who’re making our nation extra harmful,” the Tennessee Republican stated in an announcement supplied to Fox Information.

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Blackburn’s Cease Taxpayer Funding of Traffickers Act would ban anybody charged with drug or human trafficking at america’ worldwide borders from receiving federal advantages together with welfare, Social Safety, public housing and any retirement, well being or incapacity advantages. Accused traffickers would even be barred from receiving federal grants, contracts, loans and industrial or skilled licenses.

Suspects who’re later acquitted or have their costs dropped could be eligible for again pay of advantages beneath the act.

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The act consists of smuggling, transporting and harboring people inside its definition of “human trafficking.”

Crossings on the southwest border have continued to skyrocket beneath the Biden administration. Border Patrol brokers recorded almost 2.4 million migrant encounters in fiscal 12 months 2022, up from about 458,000 in 2020, based on Customs and Border Safety. Income from human smuggling operations is tough to trace, however some consultants estimate cartels are raking in billions of {dollars} every year.

“For 2 years, President Biden’s open border insurance policies have emboldened the cartels and brought about human trafficking to develop to a $13 billion trade,” Blackburn’s assertion reads. “We can not proceed to incentivize this blatant prison exercise.”

The overwhelming majority of medication seized by Border Patrol brokers are confiscated on the southern border, based on CBP information. Methamphetamine has been essentially the most prevalent drug seized thus far in fiscal 12 months 2023, adopted intently by marijuana. Fentanyl seizures have elevated almost sixfold since 2019, with Border Patrol brokers discovering about 14,700 kilos of the substance final 12 months.

Customs and Border Safety reported confiscating round 14,700 kilos of fentanyl in fiscal 12 months 2022. (U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace)

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“Traffickers have a devastating influence on communities throughout the nation, notably border communities,” Larry Cosme, president of the Federal Regulation Enforcement Officers Affiliation, stated in an announcement supporting Blackburn’s laws. “For these criminals to use a spot within the legislation to reap taxpayer funded advantages is unconscionable.” 

Blackburn led a delegation of GOP senators to the southern border in January to see the results of the migrant disaster firsthand. Whereas there, Blackburn and Sens. Katie Britt of Alabama and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi met with legislation enforcement, ranchers and a sufferer of human trafficking.

“[Traffickers] are inflicting untold struggling in each nook of our nation — stealing lives, destroying households, and devastating communities at report charges,” Britt stated in an announcement. “It’s time to seal and safe the border and finish the incentives and loopholes which might be fueling the disaster.”