Biden policies led to resurgence in fentanyl fatalities

FPI / July 3, 2022

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, continues to drive overdose deaths in the U.S., which hit a record 107,000 in 2021.

Team Biden's open borders and refusal to confront China combined with the soft-on-crime approach of authorities in Democrat-run cities and states have created a perfect storm for the smuggling into the U.S. of fentanyl and an epidemic of overdose deaths, an analysis noted.

"While deaths from the use of other drugs also increased, no drug in recent history has caused more deaths than fentanyl," Andrew Abbott noted in a June 29 analysis for Amac.

Soon after being installed in the White House, Joe Biden began dismantling Trump administration border policies, including those which targeted drug trafficking.

As a result of Biden's policies "fentanyl has once again begun pouring across the U.S.-Mexico border and making its way into American communities. As illegal border crossings have surged to record highs, so too has the amount of illegal narcotics that border patrol agents seize – indicating that there is a far greater amount of illicit drugs that make it through border checkpoints," Abbott wrote.

Fentanyl is overwhelmingly produced in one place: China. But the communist regime in Beijing has no fear of being held responsible.

Chinese producers expanded production of fentanyl "in 'underground' labs, where more potent versions of the drugs are being created. These drugs were smuggled into America by hiding them in packages. Yet, as authorities cracked down on the practice, Chinese manufacturers began importing the drugs into Mexico, where they are then smuggled across the border by Mexican cartels," Abbott noted.

Chinese manufacturers even expanded their fentanyl operations to production facilities in Mexico so that the drugs can be directly developed in that country and more efficiently smuggled across the border.

At the same time, Democrats "have continued their soft-on-crime approach when it comes to drug trafficking," Abbott noted.

A prime example came just this week when two suspected drug traffickers who were arrested with 150,000 fentanyl pills were released after a short stint in jail.

Jose Zendejas, 25, and Benito Madrigal, 19, were arrested during a traffic stop in Tulare County, California when authorities allegedly discovered the 150,000 pills — worth an estimated $750,000 — stashed inside their vehicle.

The pair was immediately booked into the Tulare County Pre-Trial Facility on charges of possession, transportation and sales of illegal drugs. But Zendejas and Madrigal were released from custody on their own recognizance just days later after a judge granted them a court order.

"Throughout the country, the story is the same: criminals are caught and then released to continue poisoning Americans," Abbott wrote.

Team Biden "has shown no signs of clamping down on the rampant illegal immigration that is a major contributing factor to the crisis. For the communities throughout the country being ravaged by the scourge of opioids – and facing down a looming recession – the results of Democrats’ failures could be more deadly than ever before," Abbott concluded.

Free Press International