WASHINGTON—Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy Ranking Member Michael Cloud (R-Texas) and House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) are pressing U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about drug cartels exploiting President Biden’s border crisis to target American children by trafficking “rainbow fentanyl” into the United States. The lawmakers are requesting all documents and communication to examine the Department’s response to this new wave of “rainbow fentanyl” and what plans the Department has to keep American children safe in advance of Halloween.  

“We write to investigate the Department of Homeland Security’s (Department) response to the trafficking of ‘rainbow fentanyl.’ The Biden Administration’s reckless open border policies have allowed fentanyl to pour across the southern border, which has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans and continues to impact communities across this nation,” wrote the lawmakers. “Now, drug cartels are targeting our nation’s children by making this dangerous drug look like candy and trafficking it into the United States. We are deeply concerned with the danger ‘rainbow fentanyl’ poses to children, particularly in advance of Halloween.”

Drug cartels have been trafficking brightly colored fentanyl pills, dubbed “rainbow fentanyl,” in large quantities. “Rainbow fentanyl” poses a unique threat to children because they look like candy. The Drug Enforcement Agency recently warned that cartels are specifically manufacturing this new form of fentanyl to get children hooked at a young age. In August alone, law enforcement in 18 states seized “rainbow fentanyl.” In September, the U.S. Attorney for Connecticut charged two men with trafficking approximately 15,000 “rainbow fentanyl” pills including thousands in candy bags.

“President Biden’s radical open border policies have created the worst border crisis in American history. These reckless policies have overwhelmed border authorities and empowered cartels to bring thousands of pounds of deadly fentanyl pills into the United States,” continued the lawmakers. “Further, the failure of this Administration to address the crisis at the border has caused illegal immigration to soar and allowed human smugglers to victimize thousands. You have chosen to ignore Congressional Republicans, who have repeatedly called on this administration to address the border crisis and trafficking of narcotics. Your dereliction of duty to secure our border has only made the problem worse.”

“Fentanyl is the number one killer of young Americans. Yet, the Biden administration continues its reckless open border policies which have now emboldened criminal cartels to target American children in their drug trafficking operations,” Congressman Cloud said. “As Halloween approaches, it is more important than ever before to be wary of what our children are consuming and to be on the lookout for any suspicious candy.”

Read the letter to Secretary Mayorkas here.

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