Following the killing and kidnapping of American citizens in Mexico by suspected drug traffickers, Republican officials slammed President Biden’s open border policies while calling his presidency “the best thing that ever happened” to the drug cartels and blaming the Biden team for having “empowered” them.
By JOSHUA KLEIN
On Tuesday, U.S. and Mexican law enforcement confirmed that two of four U.S. citizens abducted in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, were killed by a Gulf Cartel cell, while the other two Americans were rescued during a stash house raid.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) blamed President Joe Biden and the Democrats “for turning the Mexican drug cartels into multi-billionaires.”
“They have killed Americans and brought ceaseless amounts of fentanyl into our country,” Cruz wrote. “We need to bankrupt them and bring the cartels to justice.”
“President Biden is the best thing that ever happened to the Mexican drug cartels,” he wrote in another tweet.
“If we had real leadership, the cartels wouldn’t be killing Americans, fentanyl wouldn’t be flowing into our country, and our southern border would be secure,” he added.
“For the past 2 years, cartels have been running our border, killing Americans at record rates with fentanyl,” wrote Congressman Jeff Van Drew (R-NY). “Now, cartels have murdered 2 Americans.”
“The admin saying the border is ‘secure’ is disrespectful to every American who has lost a loved one due to this crisis,” he added.
“Drug cartels think they can get away with violence against Americans because they’ve noticed the culture of lawlessness created by Joe Biden,” wrote Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS).
“Our bill gives federal authorities more power to preserve Americans’ safety & security,” he added.
“Mexican Cartels are directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans and migrants, and the Biden Administration is asleep at the wheel,” wrote Rep. Chp Roy (R-TX).
“We must knock their knees out and regain operational control of the border,” he added.
“The Mexican drug cartel’s revenue has increased 26x since 2018,” wrote Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R-CO). “Joe Biden’s economy is working out for someone, just not the American people.”
“Dictators, cartels and bad guys around the world know that @JoeBiden is a weak appeaser with open border policies,” wrote Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL).
“They’re taking full advantage by trafficking evil drugs across the southern border & poisoning our communities,” he added. “We must classify them as the terrorists they are.”
“Two American citizens have died in Mexico because Biden has empowered Mexican criminal cartels and gangs,” wrote Rep Andy Biggs (R-AZ).
“He is AWOL and Americans deserve to immediately know what he will do in response to this horrific incident,” he added.
“Our border is OWNED by the cartels,” wrote Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX).
“Biden needs to act and act NOW,” he added. “His inaction is wreaking HAVOC on our country!!”
“American lives are in danger as this administration’s open border policies hand murderous cartels more and more power by the day,” wrote Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).
“Tragic, unacceptable, and avoidable,” he added.
“Another tragic reminder that Biden has given operational control of our border to Mexican crime cartels,” wrote Congressman Bob Good (R-VA).
“When will enough be enough?” he asked.
“There’s no chance the cartel would be SO BOLD if America had a president who took border security seriously,” wrote Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK), chairman of the influential Republican Study Committee.
“We are a laughingstock because of Biden’s weak leadership,” he added.
“Mexico’s cartels have run wild since Biden took office — and American blood has been spilled,” wrote Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA).
“Is he going to do anything about it?” he asked.