Common Sense, Volume V
Immigration and the “Cartels”
It is without question that the situation at the “Southern Border” is a crisis. Most everyone will agree that it is a humanitarian crisis, financial crisis, and national security crisis. What is left out of the conversation is the transfer of wealth to the Cartels and the long-term effect that will have on the Mexican and US governments.
According to the NY Times “Migrant smuggling on the U.S. southern border has evolved over the past 10 years from a scattered network of freelance “coyotes” into a multi-billion-dollar international business controlled by organized crime, including some of Mexico’s most violent drug cartels”. Putting this into some sort of perspective, the criminals are now financially strong enough to influence governments…not only the Mexican government…ours.
According to Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, an expert on smuggling at George Mason University, fees paid to the Cartels range from $4,000 for migrants coming from Latin America, to $20,000 if they come from Africa, Eastern Europe or Asia. No one crosses the border without paying the Cartels.
Drug smuggling and human trafficking have become even more lucrative for the Cartels since the border has been literally open. There have been over 150,000 deaths in the US in 2022 from drug overdoses. Most of the deaths coming from opioids. As we all know, fentanyl is produced in China and then sold to the cartels for distribution in the US.
Particularly, human trafficking has become one of the most difficult issues facing our border security. Men, women, and children are being exploited and forced into labor against their will. Considered a modern form of slavery, human trafficking has become one of the world’s most lucrative businesses, bringing in an estimated $150 billion annually for evil predators.
This new financial strength provides the Cartels enough resources to influence or buy-off government officials as well as establish organized gangs in the US to carry out their mission and protect their investments on the ground.
This transfer of wealth alone should be enough to close our southern border…however, our current administration believes there are no significant problems at our border. Please let your legislators know that you oppose an open border with unlimited drugs and human trafficking coming into the US.
Richard Geisinger
This is commentary from our members, it is not the offiical position of the Martin County Republican Executive Committee.