Posted on 05/31/2021 8:51:06 AM PDT by george76
Texas officials said Thursday they're worried about dramatic spikes in drug overdose deaths in some areas of the state as illegal border crossings and drug trafficking have picked up since President Joe Biden took office.
Gov. Greg Abbott joined Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Steve McCraw and Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn on Thursday in Fort Worthto provide an update on the border crisis.
“We’re heading for a 50 percent increase in overdose deaths in Tarrant County alone,” Waybourn warned, noting that the amount of drugs flooding into Tarrant County has skyrocketed even with DPS intervention.
Since January, federal agencies have seized 2,200 pounds of fentanyl in Texas, McCraw says, and DPS has confiscated 95 pounds, more than 21 million lethal doses, compared to 11 pounds it confiscated last year.
At the news conference, Abbott announced he’s about to sign a law that creates a new criminal offense for the manufacture or delivery of fentanyl. The punishment begins as a third-degree felony, “which will make this law one of the toughest drug laws in Texas,” he said.
The legislature also appropriated more than $1 billion to fund DPS efforts to secure the border.
Abbott said since January, DPS has arrested 1,100 criminals and apprehended 33,000 illegal immigrants, who have been referred to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.
The work that DPS has done in the last few months “is greater than ever before, and Texas is safer because of their efforts,” Abbott said.
The news conference was held just days after Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin told Fox News that Biden’s border policy has resulted in a crime spree that endangers everyone.
“We’re having to lock down our schools … about once a week, because almost every one of those cars has armed” occupants, he said.
Uvalde is located a few hours from the Texas-Mexico border.
McLaughlin criticism didn't end with the Biden administration. He said he’s contacted Texas Republican leaders at the state and federal level and no one has returned his calls, including Abbott and both U.S. Senators, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn.
“I can’t get my own senators to call me back. As an elected official, I cannot get a call back,” he said.
Abbott did not address their remarks in today’s press conference.
Attorney General Ken Paxton explained in a town hall meeting with law enforcement on Tuesday that because of U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts siding with liberal justices in the 2012 case, Arizona v. United States, Texas, Arizona and other border states have limited capabilities to defend themselves when the federal government violates its own immigration law.
Abbott created Operation Lonestar, directing Texas DPS, Texas Rangers and Texas National Guard to protect Texans against increased crime, but they are prohibited by federal law, and the Supreme Court, from arresting people who enter the U.S. illegally. They can arrest individuals based on probable cause, for committing a crime, and those who are known, wanted criminals. But they have no statutory jurisdiction to arrest, detain or deport illegal immigrants.
Texas, which has sued the federal government more than any other state this year, primarily over immigration, Paxton said, is looking for ways to challenge the Supreme Court’s ruling in Arizona v United States. Arizona had enacted a law that made it illegal to live and work in the state for those who entered the country illegally. The law also authorized law enforcement to arrest such individuals. The Supreme Court ruled Arizona could not enact its immigration law even when the federal government chooses not to enforce federal immigration law.
The real reason the democrats want an open border is to keep the price of their recreational pharmaceuticals down.
They want America weakened and subservient to their CCP masters.
Amount of fentanyl seized at southwest border could kill every person in New York... Texas is defending the border, doing the federal government’s job..
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott launched Operation Lone Star to thwart criminal activities resulting from (Obama, Susan Rice & handlers) ..Biden’s open border policies..
Won’t that problem eventually solve itself?
More drugs always = more misery, pain and death. Only fools and addicts think otherwise.
Sounds like the problem is self correcting
Thanks to RINOs and democrats who hate Americans .. Arizona voting bill fails in the state House, with 2 RINOs crossing party lines..
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3963556/posts
Idaho Governor ( RINO ) Brad Little repealed an executive order ( signed by Lieutenant Governor Janice McGeachin ) that prohibits the enforcement of mask mandates in the state..
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3963327/posts
Legislators Blindsided by ( RINO ) Ducey’s Vetoes of 22 Republican supported bills.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3963396/posts
In San Francisco, drug overdoses killed more people than covid.. 713 people died from fentanyl / drug overdoses in San Francisco in 2020 compared to 255 who died from the China virus.. Nearly three times as many people died..
The majority of overdose deaths primarily involved fentanyl, followed by methamphetamine and cocaine.. could have been far worse if it was not for the 3,000 ~ times Narcan was used to save someone from the brink of death..
I remember when pill amphetamines were all the rage, and the great “Speed Kills” campaign happened. Relatively soon, the speed fad faded, as it was no longer fashionable.
There has also been highs and lows for other drugs, like heroin.
However, it is somewhat different for pain killer narcotics. This is because many people first become hooked by their own doctors. That is, the legitimate use becomes overused, leading to addiction and illegal drug dependency.
Texas officials said Thursday they’re worried about dramatic spikes in drug overdose deaths in some areas of the state as illegal border crossings and drug trafficking have picked up since President Joe Biden took office.
Gov. Greg Abbott joined Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Steve McCraw and Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn on Thursday in Fort Worth to provide an update on the border crisis.
“We’re heading for a 50 percent increase in overdose deaths in Tarrant County alone,” Waybourn warned, noting that the amount of drugs flooding into Tarrant County has skyrocketed even with DPS intervention.
Since January, federal agencies have seized 2,200 pounds of fentanyl in Texas, McCraw says, and DPS has confiscated 95 pounds, more than 21 million lethal doses, compared to 11 pounds it confiscated last year.
At the news conference, Abbott announced he’s about to sign a law that creates a new criminal offense for the manufacture or delivery of fentanyl. The punishment begins as a third-degree felony, “which will make this law one of the toughest drug laws in Texas,” he said.
The First Clinton/Obama/Biden and ChiCom Pandemic against Americans/America!
El Chapo paid $100 million bribe to Peña Nieto’..
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/salvadorhernandez/el-chapo-bribe-mexico-president-testimony
How much did Pelosi and Biden get?
Pelosi’s missing laptop and Humpher’s missing computers probably had a lot of interesting data.
Data, that was probably scrubbed by one of our 3 letter Fed agency’s!
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