Ashley Moody Discusses How Border Insecurity Contributes To Fentanyl Trafficking

Thank you, Senator Graham. Senior to me, Senator Graham. You know, a lot can be done besides just allowing people to sue. I mean, we as the federal government can enact laws to stop this from happening in our country. It's abhorrent that more has not been done to stop this. And I wanted to just touch on a few things I was confused by and hope that we can get some enlightenment on that. You know, I'm wife of a law enforcement officer. I was a federal prosecutor myself going after transnational criminal organizations and drug traffickers. And it was not uncommon that those wishing to push poison into our United States were not US citizens. In fact, many actions taken against cartel members or otherwise were against foreign nationals. In fact, it was confusing to me that I heard a question about DEA participating in trying to help and assist with removing those who are legally committing crimes, especially those committing drug trafficking crimes while we're in the middle of a drug crisis. Why that would be confusing or even suggested that that might be a waste of resource when in my experience and certainly in my husband's experience, many of his cases, especially involving drug trafficking, dealt with foreign nationals. It's not surprising to me that they would enlist the Drug Enforcement Administration to assist. So I would like to ask Sheriff Barnes, could you speak to the claim that most prosecutions for fentanyl trafficking is being done against US citizens? Yes, I think the data that was said, first you have to look at this in the population that we're dealing with. You have the trafficking component, which is a large scale in mass bringing across the border narcotics. And then you have the distribution and sales part of that. And that oftentimes includes Americans on both sides. But those American citizens participating have a direct nexus to or are acting on behalf of the cartels. They've been compensated by the cartels for their actions and their trafficking. They're not operating independent of that. Generally speaking, Sheriff Barnes, once you have the upper echelons of cartels start pushing distribution down into the United States and others in the United States, that takes multiple people, correct? Thousands, in fact. Yes, it's a very organized marketing distribution network. But the profits, proceeds and actors are all tied to the cartels. The drugs coming across have a nexus to the cartels regardless of citizenry. The distribution is on behalf and behest of the cartels and the profits are laundered domestically to hide that in the continental United States or are transited back across the border to the profit of the cartels. Recognizing the extent of the damage inflicted on our nation and our vulnerable populations from this crisis and recognizing that so little has been done in the last four years, does it surprise you that a cross-agency effort to reel back some of the damage is being put into place? No, I do not think that's surprising. I think it's necessary to collaborate across not just different agencies but different layers of government down to the local level. I think it's also necessary to synergize those efforts in a very coordinated fashion. Else we're just playing whack-a-mole with the cartels. It's not any one thing. It's doing 12 things simultaneously in a very coordinated fashion. That's going to, I think, hinder the cartels and start making a difference. And in your opinion, the cooperation and partnership of state and local law enforcement is necessary to start having an effect to reel back in some of what's happened over the last four years? I think that even before four years ago and even more now, it's necessary to collaborate, develop partnerships in a vertical fashion with our federal, state, and locals and horizontally across those same planes, federal agency to federal agency, state to state, local to local, and have a more intentional conversation and quite honestly, a collaborative, coordinated effort to be on the offense rather than playing the defense. We've been on the defense too long and responding to cartels. They're going to pivot around us. We need to be ahead of their next move to outmaneuver them and anticipate what they're going to do next. A devastating crisis certainly requires strong actions to solve it. When we first started using the term, just say no, I say we, although I was very young at the time, I don't know about y'all, I was very young. When Nancy Reagan first just said, just say no, we were in a crisis of overdose deaths in our nation. We lost a little over 3,000 nationwide a year. We now lose 110,000 Americans every year and I think it's important when we use the word crisis over and over so that we don't become immune to that and that we recognize the magnitude of what we are dealing with, that we remember what we used to frame as a crisis is now a national travesty and if anyone says that this hasn't kneecapped the strength of our nation, they do not know what they are talking about. And so I want to thank again Chairman Grassley for calling this hearing. Again, just to put it in perspective, we're in the 119th Congress. This is our first non-nomination hearing in this committee and it was on fentanyl, the number one killer of working and fighting age Americans. You were a part of this. This is a big deal moving forward and hopefully the energy that not just our witnesses today brought but the energy of everyone in this room, especially those that stood up and have felt this for so long and have directed that passion and that emotion towards change and progress, the 119th Congress hears you, we see you and I'm gonna be a squealer to make sure that they take action and move forward. So we appreciate you being here today. We appreciate all the witnesses for being here today. I used to be a judge before I went into this crazy, chaotic world of politics. I'm feeling back at home. The meeting is adjourned. Thank you so much.