John-
It’s time we hit the cartels where it hurts the most: their bank accounts.
Right now, Mexican cartels have complete control of our southern border. They are trafficking drugs and people into the U.S. every day. And yet the Biden administration has done absolutely nothing to reign in their abuse.
So today I introduce the Declaring War on the Cartels Act. This bill would significantly increase federal penalties for Mexican cartels & their enormous financial power. My bill would also sanction those who aid cartels and freeze aid to countries that enable cartel activity.
From Fox News:
The bill would make it punishable by up to 20 years for members of such organizations who are involved in crimes related to drugs, violence, fraud, human smuggling, immigration crimes and sex trafficking. It would also make cartel members and their family inadmissible to the U.S. and allow for the revocation of naturalized citizenship and green cards for those convicted of such activity.
Additionally, it would use existing federal powers to block cartel organizations from using U.S. financial institutions and allow for the seizure of assets — that would then be deposited into a "CARTEL fund" that would increase funding for law enforcement to go after cartels.
Of that funding, 75% would go to DHS agencies including Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while the remainder would go to the Drug Enforcement Administration. The legislation would also allow for sanctions on those who aid cartels and to freeze foreign aid to countries who aid or do not prevent cartel activity.
It’s long overdue that we take the cartels seriously. It’s time that we deter & target them the same way we do terrorists. That’s the only way we win.
