Issa Convenes Congressional Fentanyl Caucus Meeting with Border Patrol Officials, Law Enforcement Leaders

Washington – Yesterday, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48), Chair of the Congressional Fentanyl Prevention Caucus, convened a comprehensive roundtable discussion on fentanyl awareness and prevention – with specific emphasis on how the drug enters America due to a critical shortfall of border security.

“This is the most dangerous drug we see on our streets, in our communities, and everywhere in between. Fentanyl is now claiming the lives of 1000,000 Americans every year, and this is a crisis that is only growing worse,” said Rep. Issa. “We simply have to give new and better tools to our frontline border patrol, our district attorneys, and federal and state law enforcement.”

The panel of speakers included Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, Vice President of the National Border Patrol Council Hector Garza, and Sarah Hoke, the Drug Intelligence Officer at the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Association. They detailed their firsthand experience with fentanyl trafficking, continuing challenges arising from open borders, and the need for creative federal enforcement policies needed to counter this crisis in new ways.

“I hosted today’s panel to hear directly from the leaders on the front lines and learn how we can turn the tide in this fight that we must win. Special thanks to my friend Sheriff Bianco and our outstanding panelists for sharing their insight, experience, and the solutions we need.”