By US Congressman Vern Buchanan
Gov. Ron DeSantis this week signed legislation that will allow the state to continue transporting illegal immigrants out of Florida and into so-called “sanctuary cities” around the country.
Due to President Biden’s disturbing and dangerous open-door border policies, every state in the country has turned into a border state.
Just imagine how small towns in Texas and Arizona are doing with thousands of illegal aliens flooding into their communities every single day.
It’s time to enforce the law, secure the border and respect the Constitution. That’s why this week, I helped introduce the Build the Wall Now Act, which requires border wall construction to resume within 24 hours of the bill being signed into law and unlocks the $2 billion in previously appropriated border wall funding to finally complete construction of the wall.
Since Joe Biden took office, an astonishing 4.5 MILLION illegal immigrants attempted to cross our border, and more than 1.2 MILLION illegals have evaded apprehension by Border Control and actually entered the country – and that’s just the ones we know about!
From crime and human trafficking to deadly fentanyl pouring across our border in record numbers, this tidal wave of illegal immigration is ripping through our communities and endangering the lives of the American people. Republicans are ready to put a stop to it and finally regain operational control of borders.
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RELATED ARTICLE
NYC reports spike in drug overdose deaths, with vast majority involving fentanyl
By Louis Casiano | Fox News
Fentanyl was detected in 80% of the drug overdose deaths and was the most common substance involved in such deaths for the fifth consecutive year
New York City experienced a significant uptick in drug overdoses over the course of 2021, with fentanyl being the drug detected in most cases, according to data released Thursday.
The figures released by the city's Health Department said 2,668 people died from drug overdoses in 2021, a 78% increase from 2019 and a 27% uptick from 2020.
"These deaths are heartbreaking and many, if not most, are absolutely preventable," Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said in a statement. "As a city we must use every evidence-based tool at our disposal to reach people with services and – most of all – support and compassion."
Fentanyl, an opioid 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine, was detected in 80% of drug overdose deaths in 2021, health officials said. It was also the most common substance involved in such deaths in the city for the fifth consecutive year.
Much of the fentanyl making its way into the United States comes from Mexico with chemicals sourced from China, border officials have said.
Across the five boroughs, the Bronx had the highest rates of overdose death in 2021. Residents in the neighborhoods of Hunts Point-Mott Haven, Crotona-Tremont, and Highbridge-Morrisania was the highest overdose death rates citywide.
New Yorkers between the ages of 55 and 64 years and residents in poorer areas also experienced high rates and large increases in overdose deaths. Black New Yorkers had the highest rate of overdose deaths, the data shows.
In the first nine months of 2022, the administration of Mayor Eric Adams distributed over 32,000 fentanyl test strips to more than 5,500 people and launched a drug-checking pilot at syringe service programs to rapidly detect substances like xylazine that may be in the drug supply.
"As a society, stigma, shame, and fear have worsened the situation and delayed the deployment of proven solutions," Health Commissioner Vasan said. "We must use these ever-worsening outcomes to combat this fear and to meet people where they are with care, and our team is working on an expanded response plan to continue fighting this crisis. This is what moral leadership looks like and what the moment demands."
