Bipartisan bill promises more resources at ports to fight fentanyl smuggling, speed up wait times
The bill could be 'saving lives' if passed, lawmaker says
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As drug smuggling attempts persist at ports of entry along the southern border, a bipartisan duo in the House of Representatives is proposing legislation to make it easier for U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents to do their jobs.
H.R. 1924, the Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act, would make sure image technicians and supervisors are hired at the ports to more closely examine cargo scans, a policy that proponents believe would speed up wait times and make it easier to catch drugs like fentanyl from heading into the U.S.
The goal is to create a specific role for scanning to make it easier on already strained agents.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The majority of the fentanyl that is intercepted is at the ports of entry because of the technology that we have," Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., who drafted H.R. 1924, told Fox News Digital. "Also because of the way that fentanyl looks and the way it gets transported, which are small pills and they can fit pretty much anywhere."
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Cartels sell rainbow fentanyl pills, the DEA says. (Drug Enforcement Administration)
"Cars are taken apart and rebuilt around the fentanyl there. So when you've got these kinds of training positions, that enhances the security at the port of entry," the Arizona Republican continued, adding that the legislation comes from an idea floated by authorities on the ground.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Much of the known drug trafficking done across the border is through the ports. The majority of convictions in recent years for smuggling fentanyl specifically have been American citizens, according to the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
"Through this kind of scanning process where goods are flowing back and forth, we can prevent the crossing of illegal drugs and also speed up the process of the legal goods coming in," Ciscomani said. He also noted that the legislation could make certain ports optimal for increasing trade and reduce wait times, which could be hours.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Vehicles line up to cross to the United States at San Ysidro Port of Entry as seen from Tijuana, Mexico on Aug. 10, 2018. (Guillermo Arias/AFP via Getty Images)
The influx of migrants during the Biden administration put a strain on resources at the ports, which even led to longer lines as authorities were also trying to handle the wave of people crossing into the nation illegally. Despite the obstacles, CBP still seized over 21,000 pounds of fentanyl and over 158,000 pounds of meth along the southern border in fiscal year 2024 alone, according to the agency's data.
"When I think about Eastern North Carolina and so many families being devastated in particular by the fentanyl crisis, we have to do something. We have to take urgent steps. We have to, you know, put aside the partisan politics because this is hitting home literally. So when I went to the border, taking three trips to the border, and in particular the Tucson sector," Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., who's co-sponsoring the legislation, told Fox News Digital.
"They're gonna be able to do more inspections, and I believe that this is a pathway of actually saving lives," Davis added.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and border czar Tom Homan speak with reporters at the White House, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
H.R. 1294 has been referred to the House Homeland Security Committee, and it comes at a time when the Trump administration is undertaking a full-scale crackdown on the border crisis, which has led to praise from Republicans and backlash from Democrats. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that only 200 people were encountered by CBP trying to illegally cross on Saturday, the lowest daily figure in 15 years.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids are ongoing across the country, with some even being held at Guantanamo Bay, and troops were sent down to the southern border shortly after President Donald Trump took office last month.
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Meanwhile, the overall conversation remains heated on Capitol Hill. Democratic Rep. Janelle Bynum slammed another bill by Ciscomani, the Agent Raul Gonzalez Safety Act, as akin to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 for ramping up penalties for those "intentionally fleeing" law enforcement near the border. Yet, the bill ended up passing with some bipartisan support.
There have been some bright spots of compromise despite broader disputes on the issue across the nation as well. Arizona Republican lawmakers and Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes are supporting a state bill that would give permission to local authorities to shoot down drones suspected of being operated by the cartels, which would likely hinder one tool the organizations use to smuggle illicit drugs.