Senators Hassan, Lankford Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Disrupt Cartel Operations by Increasing Southbound Border Inspections

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and James Lankford (R-OK), both members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, reintroduced bipartisan legislation to increase inspections of traffic going from the U.S. to Mexico, which would help combat the flow of illicit firearms and money that fuel drug cartels. 

“Dismantling drug cartels requires cutting off the flow of illegal firearms and cartel money moving from the U.S. into Mexico, which help give cartels the resources to continue to operate and flood our communities with deadly drugs,” said Senator Hassan. “This bipartisan legislation significantly enhances our southbound inspection capabilities, which will help disrupt cartel operations and reduce the trafficking of fentanyl, which has devastated communities across New Hampshire and nationwide.” 

“With border crossings at a record low, the results speak for themselves. President Trump’s leadership is making America safer; the southern border is much more secure than it was a year ago,” Lankford said. “But US Customs and Border Protection still doesn’t have the resources they need to stop gun smuggling to the criminal cartels in Mexico. We need to ensure border law enforcement has the personnel and technology to crack down on criminal activity that puts Americans at risk.”

Specifically, the bipartisan Enhancing Southbound Inspections to Combat Cartels Act would: 

• Require that at least 10 percent of southbound vehicles are inspected, to the extent practicable 
• Authorize at least 100 additional Homeland Security Investigations agents to investigate the smuggling of guns and money from the U.S. into Mexico
• Authorize at least 100 additional Homeland Security Investigations agents to investigate drug smuggling, human trafficking, child trafficking, and unauthorized entries from Mexico into the U.S.
• Authorize 50 additional x-ray inspection systems for southbound inspections 

This legislation is part of Senator Hassan’s ongoing efforts to support border security. Last year, the Senate Homeland Security Committee advanced bipartisan legislation introduced by Senator Hassan to allow U.S. and Canadian personnel to jointly patrol both sides of the Northern border on aircraft, helping better combat drug smuggling and other illegal cross-border activities. In March, Senator Hassan’s bipartisan bill to permanently classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act, passed the Senate. Additionally, in December, Senator Hassan worked with her colleagues to pass into law her bipartisan legislation to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security and its contractors are operating as effectively as possible at the Southern border.

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