US Attorney General Pam Bondi showed off the Trump administration’s commitment to ending illegal drug smuggling with an official visit to Florida, posing with $510 million of narcotics intercepted on boats headed towards the United States. As the President continues his crackdown on illegal immigration- and its related criminal enterprises- his newly appointed AG sought to highlight the tangible benefits of such intervention. Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel claim the massive bust to be the result of interdepartmental cooperation between the military and Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, hopefully highlighting a new era of cooperation between historically stagnated and insulated agencies.
The drugs- a mixture of cocaine and marijuana- underscore the significant presence of cartels in the United States, whose members almost always arrive in the country through illegal means. Affiliates would have been waiting on US shores- ready to receive, process, and sell the drugs- along with any violent enforcement that may entail. The profits would help fund further criminal activity and bring even more gang members into the country. Vulnerable people would overdose on the distributed narcotics, which often contain highly lethal fentanyl.
Bondi claims the drugs belong to two cartels- Jalisco New Generation and Sinaloa- both with founding roots in Mexico whose networks have spread across the border. Many associate the latter with infamous drug lord Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, a notorious leader in the Sinaloa Cartel who was sentenced to life in American prison in 2019. Both were re-designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the Trump administration shortly after his inauguration, emphasizing the critically dangerous nature of both groups.
Not only do they bring drugs and violence into the United States, but they create living nightmares for citizens of Mexico who are simply looking to live peaceful lives. The climate created by these so-called ‘drug wars’ carried out between the Mexican Government and local cartels is akin to a never-ending war, and funds generated by overseas activities are financing such destruction.
Between 2007 and 2014, peak years of the Global War on Terror, an estimated 103,000 Iraqi and Afghan civilians were killed. During that same period, a staggering 164,000 Mexican citizens were victims of homicide. In 2024, 70 Mexicans were murdered every single day. In areas controlled by cartels, 30% of people live in extreme poverty and cannot afford basic food. An additional 40% experience ‘capability poverty,’ meaning they might buy food but not secure access to educational or healthcare resources. Their continued function also leads to increased immigration by average Mexicans- those not affiliated with criminal organizations. Tens of thousands have been displaced by their violent practices, many of whom illegally immigrate to the US themselves in a desperate attempt to escape the carnage.
Stopping Latin American cartels from conducting nefarious business not only increases the safety of US citizens, but also that of Mexicans inescapably trapped in a daily nightmare. Continued action by the Trump administration will hopefully improve conditions for both nations, and bring an end to some of the ongoing violence.
Do you approve of the steps President Trump and his administration are taking to crack down on illegal immigration and related crimes? What more can they do to keep Americans safe?
Hilary Gunn is a Connecticut native with a degree in Criminal Justice from the George Washington University. She works for a nonprofit and has previously collaborated with the CT GOP as an activist, political campaign manager and field director, and social media organizer. She is currently serving in her fourth term of municipal office and has previously acted as a delegate on the Republican Town Committee.