Austin News

February 4, 2025

In a recent Senate Judiciary Committee meeting, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) addressed the intertwined issues of border security and the fentanyl crisis. The discussion included insights from Sheriff Don Barnes of the Orange County Sheriff's Department in California, who also holds the position of Vice President for Homeland Security at Major County Sheriffs of America.

Senator Cornyn emphasized the need for a comprehensive strategy to tackle these challenges. "Having visited with a number of families in Texas—its various school districts—I’ve come to believe that this requires a layered approach," he stated. He highlighted the importance of awareness among children regarding counterfeit drugs containing contaminated fentanyl, which pose lethal risks.

Cornyn stressed collective responsibility: “It’s going to require all of us, from parents, families, to school districts and local law enforcement, state and federal law enforcement, and border security.”

The senator queried Sheriff Barnes on whether enhanced border security could mitigate the flow of illicit drugs like fentanyl into the United States. In response, Barnes described a complex supply chain originating in China and transiting through Mexico. He identified border control as crucial: “The border, obviously, is going to be the most significant issue, as we shut down the border and the pathway for illicit fentanyl to make its way back into the United States.”

Barnes further noted that "the vast majority of the large quantities coming across has been, in my experience, are being conducted by Mexican nationals."