Nebraska Panhandle News

Yesterday, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts praised President Trump's anti-fentanyl policies during a Senate session. He highlighted the efforts to reduce the deadly drug's movement into the United States.

"When Canada eased up on some of its visa restrictions, the cartels saw their advantage and started moving operations to Canada to transport both people illegally across the border and fentanyl," said Ricketts. "In fact, 60 Minutes just did a story where they talked to one of these cartel drug smugglers about what he was doing. And he said that this one smuggler was responsible for moving 30 kilograms of fentanyl across the border from Canada into the United States every month. That’s enough to kill 15 million Americans, and he was doing it every month. And that was one smuggler. Now he also said that lately, it had been quiet. They hadn’t been moving as much fentanyl. And again, that gets back to President Trump taking a stand to get our neighboring countries to start enforcing their border, to put more resources there, and to start blocking this fentanyl before it gets into our country."

Ricketts noted, "These policies are having an impact. They are working. We need Canada and Mexico to continue to do more. We are here standing up for secure borders, standing up for American families, standing up for those families who have lost loved ones already to this terrible scourge. We cannot afford to return to an open borders policy. We have to have secure borders. President Trump is leading the fight to secure our border and stop the flow of this horrible drug into our country. And I am proud to support him in doing that."

The transcript of his speech details concerns about the fentanyl crisis, highlighting how the drug, originating from China, is processed in Mexico before entering the U.S. He pointed out the effects of the drug in Nebraska, referencing a significant increase in fentanyl circulation after President Biden's election.

Ricketts addressed tariffs as a tool to combat the crisis, saying they are a means to stop the drug flow. He emphasized the impact of President Trump's policies in both Mexico and Canada, urging continued efforts to block the drug, especially at the country's borders.

Senator Ricketts concluded by emphasizing the importance of secure borders, acknowledging the lives lost to the drug problem, and reiterated his support for Trump's leadership in combating the crisis.