Gordon Says the Situation at the Southern Border is a Concern to Wyoming

In a press release, Governor Mark Gordon announced that he had joined other Governors in Mission, Texas Wednesday to call for policy changes at the U.S-Mexico border and to announce 10 policies that could be enacted to address the situation at the southern border.

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The "Joint Policy Framework on the Border Crisis" from Republican Governors includes among other things, calls to: fully reinstate the Migrant Protection Protocols established by the Trump administration, continue construction on the border wall, hire more judges in immigration courts, and dedicate additional federal resources to eradicate human trafficking and drug trafficking.

During the visit, border officials said that Mexican cartels have taken advantage of the current situation and dominate the drug and human trafficking markets.

The press release states that the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation figures show a significant increase in the amount of fentanyl that is being seized in the state since 2019, however the release does not clarify if the increase is connected to what is happening at the southern border.

According to data from the Vital Statistics Services with the Wyoming Department of Health, drug overdose deaths have fluctuated somewhat over the past several years, going from a high of 107 in 2014, down to a low of 60 in 2017, and back up to 84 in 2019.

However overdoses specifically from illicit drugs have increased continuously over the past 10 years, going from 4% in 2010 to 35% in 2019.

Gordon said:

"Wyoming citizens are impacted by a failure of the Biden Administration to engage in its constitutional duty to secure our border. Seeing the conditions and hearing firsthand from agents on the ground made it clear that a different approach is needed and more resources are necessary to secure our border from drug trafficking and human smuggling."

Gordon did not elaborate on how what's happening at the border is impacting Wyoming or its citizens.

Last month, Gordon joined every other Republican Governors in signing a letter to the Biden Administration requesting a meeting with the President on the issue, and to date, they have not received an offer to meet.