Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is among 25 state attorneys general asking U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem and Acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Pete Flores to close a loophole posing a threat to public safety.
Entry Type 86, an import pilot program, allows small packages to enter the United States with minimal customs screenings. Marshall said drug traffickers can take advantage of the program and smuggle deadly drugs, including fentanyl, into the United States.
“Fentanyl is devastating communities across Alabama and the nation, and we must take decisive action to shut down every avenue that allows this deadly drug to enter our country. Loopholes like Entry Type 86 pose a serious threat to public safety, making it easier for traffickers to smuggle fentanyl and other dangerous substances across the border,” Marshall stated. “I am confident that the Trump Administration will take immediate steps to close this gap and strengthen border security to protect American lives.”
The letter states that imports have skyrocketed under the program in 10 years, from 153 million packages to 1.2 billion. It points out that some shippers use the Entry Type 86 program to dodge regulations and avoid paying required duties.
“We as state attorneys general stand ready to work together with you to cut off all avenues for the entry of fentanyl and other potentially lethal drugs into our communities,” the letter states. “The lives of those we all serve will be saved as a result.”
The Kentucky-led letter was also signed by attorneys general from Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.
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