The consequences of the border crisis have been far-reaching, going well beyond the American Southwest, yet the reality is tough for some to comprehend.
However, recent news from the Justice Department should help people understand that the message sent by a seemingly open border has emboldened wannabe drug smugglers throughout the United States.
Three individuals from Nashville, Tenn. — Liz Jomayra Diaz-Colon, 23, Elias Herrera, 30, and Jonathan Guemez, 30 — have all “admitted to their roles in the conspiracy” to bring deadly drugs such as heroin and fentanyl into the country from Mexico, according to a statement from the DOJ on May 2.
Guemez plead guilty in Dec. 2021, but all three — calling themselves the “Suicide Squad” — were reportedly collaborating with traffickers to import drugs amounting to a price tag of approximately $1,622,880, the DOJ said.
In total, the three attempted to bring in 4.76 kilograms of fentanyl and 8.6 kilograms of heroin, according to the statement. Herrera and Diaz-Colon reportedly hid the drugs in their car batteries when authorities discovered the contraband.
Thankfully, the courts are taking appropriate action to handle the case.
“U.S. District Judge Randy Crane will sentence Diaz-Colon July 12, along with Herrera. Guemez will be sentenced May 3. At those times, each faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life with a possible $10 million maximum fine,” the DOJ stated. “All three have been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.”
While this is just one example, it serves as a reminder that Customs and Border Protection plays a crucial role in keeping Americans safe, especially because the Biden administration has dropped the ball on border policies. The fact that the three individuals are from Nashville and not El Paso, Texas, or Phoenix, Ariz., goes to show that anyone can be impacted by the U.S. border crisis, regardless of their geographic location.
Related: Illegal Immigrants From Mexican Drug Cartel Nabbed With 20K Fentanyl Pills Near Detroit
In my interview with Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey last week, he warned Americans about the increased dangers of illicit drug use because of the cartels.
“First, don’t do drugs, and if you are doing drugs, because of this cartel activity, there is a chance that it is laced with this fentanyl. That is poison. That is not a high. That is a death,” Ducey warned.
“We’re seeing the numbers that are resulting in that. So I would err on the side of caution. Of course, I am calling on the Biden administration to do its duty. We should be interdicting these drugs and stopping these cartels. But today, when we read about these deaths or know people through extended families or networks, this was preventable by not doing the drug in the first place, because this poison has become part of it.”
Law enforcement at the border deserves the support of Americans and the federal government, as they are often the only thing protecting people from becoming a victim of an illicit drug overdose.