Rep. Darrell Issa on Tuesday blamed President Biden for an upsurge in fentanyl deaths, linking drug trafficking to the administration’s immigration policies.
“Fentanyl is not a new danger. But the deadly threat it poses has now reached every corner of our country,” Issa said, in announcing support for new legislation to fight drug trafficking.
“This has everything to do with the open borders policies President Biden imposed on day one of his term that has allowed an unprecedented supply of this drug to enter the homeland and devastate families and communities,” the Republican congressman charged.
Issa, who represents east San Diego and south Riverside counties, said he will co-sponsor the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentany Act, which would permanently classify the drug as Schedule I, in the same category as LSD and Ecstasy, and remove regulations that stifle research on other Schedule I substances.
“Because this administration won’t act, it’s up to the Congress to take this on,” Issa said. “The HALT Fentanyl Act is the essential response that’s needed right now to find answers and save lives. I look forward to the Congress advancing this bill and making this legislation a reality.”
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine. It was developed for pain management treatment of cancer patient, but is now clandestinely-produced for the drug trade.
The Drug Enforcement Administration has said most of the illegal supply comes from Mexico.
