Staff Reports
The House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing to talk about how the Biden border crisis has been causing problems for tribal communities in the United States. Chairman Paul Gosar, a Republican from Arizona, said the open border policies made by Joe Biden have been bad for Indian communities. He pointed out that illegal substances and cartels have been causing problems such as addiction and violence in these areas. Congressman Westerman mentioned that cartels have been making networks in the United States, specifically in Native American communities, to spread harmful substances like fentanyl.
At the hearing, Verlon Jose, who leads the Tohono O’odham Nation, spoke about the challenges they have been facing. He explained that the Nation shares a long border with Mexico and has been working with law enforcement to deal with drug and immigrant issues. They have had to spend their own money on border security and enforcement to help keep the border secure.
Oversight Hearing Highlights How the Border Crisis Is Impacting Tribal Lands
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President Jeffrey Stiffarm of the Assiniboine and Gros Ventre Tribes of the Fort Belknap Indian Community in Montana mentioned that the drug cartels are targeting Indian Country because it is rural and has a history of addiction. He also said that the cartels are making a lot of money by selling drugs on reservations, and they have even threatened tribal members who try to speak out about the issue.
This news shows that the Biden border crisis is not only affecting the southern border, but it is also causing problems for tribal communities across the United States. The tribal leaders at the hearing blamed the federal government for not doing enough to stop the cartels from causing harm to their communities. The hearing brings attention to the need for stronger border security to protect these communities from the dangerous influence of the cartels.
