top of page
Search
Writer's pictureKate Merritt-OToole

Opioids crisis NOT due to Immigration

Updated: Jul 2, 2023

The GOP has been heavily campaigning on immigration and illegal boarder crossings as being problematic for our country. Most Americans today will agree that our Imigration system needs to be reformed. Nearly 4 in 5 of American adults (77%) want Democrats and Republicans to work together this year on immigration reforms that could reduce food prices by helping America’s farmers. When you look at the polling on Immigration:

Poll Source % want more % remain @ current levels % want less

Gallup * 27% 31% 38%

CATO Institute ** 29% 38% 33%


* As of 2022 Jul 5-26 ** As of 2021 Apr 27


Here are some more interesting FACTS and statistics about immigration:

  • 72% of all Immigrants who come to the US do so to improve their lives & get jobs

  • 53% of Americans feel the ability to immigrate is a human right.


But this is a blog on immigration.... we want to talk about the Opioid crisis.






Contrary to belief.....


The number one way that Fentanyl enters the North America is via mail services according to the DEA. {<click this link to go to an official US governmental DEA document}. As you can see with the maps above the main source for Fentanyl is from China and India. Fentanyl in the form of powders, pills, stamps, and dies are shipped by traditional mail services and are not brought into the US by illegal immigrants they are smuggled into the US by drug cartels. China remains the primary source of fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked through international mail. Because of restrictions on some of the ingredients used to make fentanyl in China, India has stepped in to provide these chemicals.


This powdered form of fentanyl is mixed with heroin or is pressed into pills which are then: {rank oder by frequency]

  • Enters the US via routine mail services to be distributed throughout the country

  • Enters Canada and sold in their drug market, with smaller amounts being smuggled into the US via the northern boarder with Canada

  • Enter Mexico and are pressed into counterfeit prescription drugs which are smuggled into the US

  • Riverside County Sheriff [Riverside, CA] Chad Bianco reports that the majority of fentanyl that his office has confiscated is in the form of counterfeit pills that are delivered in the mail.

Most of the time the components or ingredients used t make fentanyl are illegally imported into the US and Mexico either from China or India. Investigators said Chinese drug suppliers send the ingredients to make fentanyl to cartels in Mexico. After creating the fentanyl, either in raw powder or pill form, the cartels would ship them across the border in trucks.


While we all agree our immigration system is broken and in need of reform. The immigrants that are crossing our boarders are NOT bring fentanyl into the US. Fentanyl, or its ingredients are illegally imported into the US and Mexico mainly by mail.


The bigger question regarding the opioid crisis is what is being done to curtail their use AFTER they have entered the US. Mental health care and substance abuse programs, unfortunately are not readily available to all Americans. If the GOP were to obtain control of the House and Senate, one of their many targets to repeal is the Affordable Healthcare Act. If successful, we can expect opioid overdose deaths to continue and most likely increase.


When deciding Who Should I Vote for? Go to www.vote4change.info a website packed with voting resources, US legislator voting records, plus current Congress/Senate election ballots to help Americans to cast informed votes.






13 views0 comments

Comments

Rated 0 out of 5 stars.
No ratings yet

Add a rating
bottom of page