The unlikely team of Abigail Spanberger and Dan Crenshaw have introduced legislation to increase inspections of outbound traffic from the United States to Mexico.
The bipartisan Enhancing Southbound Inspections to Combat Cartels Act provide U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with additional staff and resources to combat the flow of illicit firearms and money that fuel cartel operations, such as fentanyl trafficking.
“As a former CIA case officer who tracked cartels, I understand how these criminals smuggle firearms and bulk currency across our southern border to move the illicit proceeds that continue to fuel their criminal operations. We must continue working to stem the flow of deadly fentanyl into our communities, and we can do so by working to cut off the steady supply of contraband that props up the drug trade,” said Spanberger, D-Va., who is leaving Congress at the end of the year to mount a run for governor of Virginia in 2025.
“We must provide the men and women who secure our southern border with the resources necessary to cut off this supply and keep our communities safe. I’m grateful to my colleague, Rep. Crenshaw, for working with me to disrupt the transnational organized crime that threatens U.S. security at and beyond our southern border,” Spanberger said.
Between fiscal years 2018 and 2022, CBP’s Office of Field Operations seized $58 million in currency and 2,306 firearms through outbound inspections.
Problem being, these inspections are not being conducted consistently at the southern border.
The Enhancing Southbound Inspections to Combat Cartels Act would strengthen outbound inspection processes at the southern border to cut off resources to cartels and disrupt organized criminal operations. The legislation would require CBP to hire additional officers to assist with outbound inspections and require ICE to hire additional Homeland Security Investigations personnel to primarily assist with investigations involving smuggling of currency and firearms at the southern border.
Additionally, the legislation would authorize the purchase of additional non-intrusive imaging systems — technology that allows law enforcement officers to screen a larger portion of traffic at the southern border more quickly and efficiently.
“Southward bound guns and money fuel the cartel’s war in Mexico and the fentanyl crisis that is poisoning Americans. We have to stop the flow,” said Crenshaw, R-Texas. “As it stands, U.S. Customs and Border Protection do not have the resources to monitor southbound flows, but this bill helps fix that and serves as a good step in taking the fight to the cartels and disrupts their business operations.”
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Chris Graham
