Harris to ‘double’ DoJ resources as polls show voters want a crackdown on the cartel

Vice President Kamala Harris has pledged to double the Justice Department’s resources to crack down on cartels, as a new poll shows crime syndicates are a top concern for Latino voters.

At a campaign event in Nevada on Sunday, Harris also pledged to limit the flow of fentanyl entering the United States if she is elected in November.

“As president, I will redouble resources for the Department of Justice to go after these transnational cartels and take action to stop the flow of fentanyl coming into our country that is destroying entire communities,” Harris said.

Immigration is a key issue in the 2024 presidential election, with cartels also in the national spotlight after several high-profile cases involving El Mayo, Venezuelan gangs and boatloads of drugs entering the country.

Harris’ pledge came after a new UnidosUS poll of Latino voters in swing states found that human smugglers and drug traffickers were a priority when discussing border security.

Harris’ comments came after former President Donald Trump falsely claimed at a rally in Wisconsin on Saturday that Harris wants to legalize fentanyl.

“She is so radical that she even wants to legalize fentanyl right away,” he told a crowd of his loyal MAGA supporters.

During Harris’ visit to the US-Mexico border, she pledged to “target the entire global fentanyl supply chain” and “significantly reduce the flow of precursor chemicals from China.”

Eric Ruark, director of research and sustainability at NumbersUSA, said this previously Newsweek The polls show voters trust Trump over Harris on immigration.

“According to September ABC/Ipsos polls, voters trust Trump over Harris on immigration by 10 points,” Ruark said. “Harris is clearly trying to convince voters that she is somehow against the policies her administration has put in place.”

Polls from Redfield and Wilton Strategies show that 47 percent of respondents trust Trump on immigration, compared to 36 percent who trust Harris.

Meanwhile, more than 100,000 people died from drug overdoses last year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 70 percent of the deaths were linked to synthetic opioids, mainly fentanyl.

So says Sonara Health CEO Michael Giles Newsweek: “The rise in fentanyl-related deaths among people aged 18 to 45 in the US is having a profound impact on public health by increasing mortality rates and straining healthcare resources. Economically, this is leading to lost productivity, higher healthcare costs and financial burdens on families due to loss of income and treatment costs disrupt communities through higher crime rates, family instability and widespread mental health problems due to grief and trauma.

Harris’ pledge to crack down on drug smuggling and human trafficking cartels comes amid growing concerns about the presence of a Venezuelan gang terrorizing communities in Colorado and El Paso.

The gang known as Tren de Aragua (TdA) focuses on human trafficking and other abuses and targets vulnerable migrants.

Images emerged on social media of the gang storming the apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado.

The video shows men with assault rifles going up a stairwell before breaking down the doors of The Edge at Lowry apartments.

In September, police identified ten members of a notorious Venezuelan gang.

Aurora police said TdA members in the city had “committed acts of violence against members of the immigrant community.”

Have a story Newsweek should cover? Do you have questions about this story? Contact [email protected]