After pressing the witnesses, Durbin received an agreement that American guns flowing to the Mexican cartels is a problem
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “The Thin Blue Line Protecting America from the Cartels.” Durbin first questioned the witnesses on whether or not they agree that firearms flowing to the Mexican cartels from the United States is a problem.
“I would like to read something and see if any of you disagree with this: Cartels have flooded the nation with illegal firearms sold by U.S. gun manufacturers in Mexico. The Mexican government estimated that around 200,000 U.S. sourced firearms are smuggled into Mexico annually. Do you disagree with that?” Durbin asked
The witnesses including Jose Perez, Assistant Director of the Criminal Investigative Division at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Matt Allen, Special Agent in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Division at the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA); and Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge at the El Paso Field Division of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), did not disagree.
“The hope is that the United States can do something about the flow of firearms from our country into Mexico to these cartels. Heavily armed cartels use military-style weapons and other weapons to assassinate politicians, attack the military, kill and injure judges, journalists, police, and terrorize ordinary citizens throughout Mexico. The cartels traffic drugs into the U.S. and spur migration, and they are using the same weapons against your men and women in law enforcement. Do you disagree with that?” Durbin asked.
The witnesses did not disagree.
“In January, the Justice Department reported a 25 percent increase in crime gun tracing requests from Mexican authorities in recent years. Over three-fourths of crime guns recovered in Mexico are traced to four states—Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas—according to the Justice Department. Has that been your experience as well that those have been the largest sources of these illegal firearms coming in from United States to the cartels?” Durbin asked.
“The answer seems to be in the affirmative,” Durbin said.
“This seems to be a major element—arming the terrorist groups called the Mexican drug cartels. Do you think the end of this problem necessarily seems to be doing something about weapons shipped from the United States into the hands of the Mexican cartels?” Durbin asked.
Mr. Allen did not directly respond and instead responded that the formation of Homeland Security task forces has helped combat the cartels.
“Can you tell me what is being done to stop the flow of firearms from the United States into the hands of these terrorist cartels selling drugs?” Durbin followed up.
Mr. Allen deferred the question to his colleagues at ATF. Mr. Stevens responded that HSI is working “every single day to ensure that stuff that is exported out of the country, contrary to law, that we stop [it] before it gets into the hands of the cartel.”
“Are you identifying the gun dealers in the United States that are supplying these Mexican drug cartels with these firearms?” Durbin asked.
Mr. Stevens responded that they are partnering with ATF, and ATF is “working it back to the gun store.” Mr. Perez responded that the FBI is investing gangs more broadly, including those involved in gun trafficking and narcotics trafficking.
“Does that include American firearms dealers who are selling the guns?” Durbin asked.
Mr. Perez responded that anyone who is complicit in an investigation would be presented for prosecution.
He continued to say, “Just in the last six months through our cartel and gang investigation, we have seized close to 4,000 guns nationally but about 2,200 along our border offices. As we investigate more aggressively the cartels and gangs, we will encounter illicit firearms and how they have landed in the hands of these criminals.”
Video of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.
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