Joe Biden made many promises while running for the presidency. Some of these he kept, others he didn’t.
The most important promise, and one that is not partisan, was to end the fentanyl crisis in the United States. Nearly every day, there are multiple stories about fentanyl overdoses and busts in each state. This crisis has been in existence for many years. It has led to an epidemic of overdoses across the country that Joe Biden promised he would stop.
Team Biden, who still has his campaign website up, laid out his plan for addressing the opioid crisis. This included stemming the flow of fentanyl into the nation. Here is his “plan”.
Fentanyl should be a priority in all our relations with China. Although the Treasury Department has sanctioned a few Chinese nationals for fentanyl-related offenses, it is not enough to change Beijing’s long-term thinking. Biden will press Beijing to clamp down on illegal fentanyl production from China and stop the drug’s flow into the United States. Biden will also create regional strategies for the Americas and Asia-Pacific to address shifts in the sources and routes of fentanyl as a result of the Chinese crackdown.
To improve cooperation with Mexican authorities in order to stop heroin and fentanyl from crossing the U.S.-Mexico frontier, Chinese fentanyl is often transshipped through Mexico and then smuggled across the border in its pure form or mixed with heroin. China is taking steps to control fentanyl precursors and production will shift more to Mexico. Biden will continue to work with Mexican authorities to disrupt supply and supply routes. This includes the importation of pre-cursor chemicals from China. Biden Administration will provide technical assistance to improve the Mexican Post Service’s (SEPOMEX’s) ability to electronically track and detect shipments of fentanyl or precursors passing through Mexico. Biden, as President, will work to repair the damage done by Donald Trump to U.S.-Mexico relations and to develop a shared agenda with Mexico to promote our mutual prosperity and protect U.S. security interests.
International actors involved in trafficking illicit drugs such as heroin and fentanyl should be subject to sanctions. Biden’s Treasury Department sanctions group will identify the financial institutions and networks that facilitate the distribution of heroin and key precursors, and create sanctions packages based on that evidence. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence will be tasked with supporting these efforts, with a particular focus on illicit finance.
The Washington Post published a report not too long ago that criticized the inability of the United States over several presidential administrations to address the crisis. While it wouldn’t be fair to blame the Biden administration for all of this, it is clear that his “comprehensive plans” below show that he simply refuses to address any of it.
The two-prong approach to foreign policy in dealing with the fentanyl crisis is called the “Fentanyl Crisis Strategy”. However, neither of these prongs is actually being considered by the Biden administration.
First, we need to close the border with Mexico. This is creating an immigrant crisis that the Biden administration refuses to acknowledge. The problem is not just illegal immigration. Drug cartels are smuggling fentanyl and the ingredients to make it across the border in large numbers. The U.S. border agents are busy catching illegal immigrants, but the cartels can sneak the drugs onto the American market.
This has led to disastrous results. Border Patrol becomes overwhelmed with immigrants and can’t even deal with the drug trade. Although they have made a few arrests, the amount of drugs that they have caught has been huge. But, with all the shipments we capture, how many are being lost due to inadequate and overworked border security personnel?
Overnight, Yuma Sector Agents encountered a migrant illegally present in the U.S. carrying 93 lbs. of Fentanyl. So far in FY23, we have seized over 476 lbs. of Fentanyl between the ports of entry along our southwest border.
That’s enough to kill 100 million people.@USBPChiefYUM pic.twitter.com/3b2Vdqj5ja— Chief Raul Ortiz (@USBPChief) February 15, 2023
The second part of the foreign policy solution for the fentanyl problem is to work harder against Chinese drug producers who sell the chemicals necessary to make the drugs. The problem with this plan is the fact that the Biden administration was unable to develop a coherent foreign strategy regarding China. They are happy to allow a Chinese spy plane to sail across the nation, despite it being a clear threat to American sovereignty. They are also comfortable with China being alienated through diplomatically tense exchanges.
China knows that we won’t be tough on China, so they don’t need to control drug and chemical producers in their country, even though those companies are selling their products to Mexican cartels.
The fentanyl crisis is only getting worse because of the Biden administration’s complete surrender of Mexico and China. While there are many activist groups that can offer solutions and ideas, the Biden administration is so focused on Ukraine and environmentalism that little has been accomplished. Joe Biden seems to be lacking interest in helping the people he is supposed to serve.
