A bill, sponsored by Rep. Steve Montenegro, that declares drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, passed the Arizona State Senate on Wednesday.
The bill, HB2675, also requires the Arizona Department of Homeland Security (AZDOHS) “to do everything within its authority to address the threat posed by drug cartels.”
“Today’s drug cartels are indistinguishable from global terrorist organizations – from their sophisticated weaponry, training, and organization, to their use of terror as a tactic, to their targeting of innocent civilians, and now, with fentanyl, to their use of what is essentially a weapon of mass destruction that seeks to kill Americans by the tens of thousands,” Montenegro told the Arizona Daily Independent.
In spite of the nearly universal opposition the cartels face from Arizonans and citizens of other states, Montenegro’s bill was unanimously objected to by Senate Democrats. The bill had already passed the House with every House Democrat also voting to protect the drug cartels from the increased opposition.
“I never heard a single objection that made sense during the debates on this bill and even as crazy as today’s political world seems to be, I’m sincerely shocked that every single Democrat in the House and Senate voted to side with and protect these drug cartels.” said Montenegro.
3/31: CBP officers seized about 372 fentanyl pills hidden inside the body of a person.
4/2: Officers discovered approx. 28,400 fentanyl pills in the intake manifold of a motorcycle.
4/3: Officers found about 4,080 fentanyl pills inside a pair of shoes worn by a person. pic.twitter.com/FRDH1iuDKY
— Port Director Michael W. Humphries (@CBPPortDirNOG) April 5, 2023
Border officials privately concede that the Mexican cartels have seized control of various sections of the southern border Arizona shares with Mexico.
Just this week, Port Director Michael Humphries reported in a tweet that officers seized about 372 fentanyl pills hidden inside the body of a person, discovered approx. 28,400 fentanyl pills in the intake manifold of a motorcycle, and found about 4,080 fentanyl pills inside a pair of shoes worn by a person.
The week before, Humphries reported in a tweet that “officers found approximately 303,000 fentanyl pills and 26.15 pounds of cocaine in the spare tire of a car. About 1½ hours later, a K9 team and officers detected approximately 208,000 fentanyl pills in the firewall of a vehicle.”
On Tuesday, while conducting layered enforcement, officers found approximately 303,000 fentanyl pills and 26.15 pounds of cocaine in the spare tire of a car. About 1½ hours later, a K9 team and officers detected approximately 208,000 fentanyl pills in the firewall of a vehicle. pic.twitter.com/9S5dJxuS8E
— Port Director Michael W. Humphries (@CBPPortDirNOG) March 30, 2023
With these major cartels serving as the source of major violence, human and child trafficking, and drug smuggling that includes feeding the fentanyl epidemic, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs faces a surprisingly difficult choice. The bill would enjoy broad support among all Arizonans, but with every legislative Democrat voting against it, Hobbs is expected to protect her fellow Democrats and veto the bill, putting her in the uncomfortable spot of protecting Mexico’s drug cartels instead of Arizonans.