Gavarone, Cirino Lead Effort Urging Washington to Secure the Border

COLUMBUS—The Ohio Senate today passed Senate Resolution 243, sponsored by State Senators Theresa Gavarone (R-Huron) and Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland), urging the United States Government to secure its borders. "While the men and women of the United States Border Patrol and law enforcement agencies across the country have served honorably and diligently to secure the Southern border, they need increased support from Washington D.C.," Gavarone said. In 2021, US Customs and Border Protection agents seized more than 319,000lbs of marijuana, 109,000lbs of methamphetamine, 97,000lbs of cocaine, 11,000lbs of fentanyl, and 5,400lbs of heroin. These drugs, specifically the opiates, led to a 32% increase in fentanyl related deaths in Ohio, with over 80% of all overdose deaths involving fentanyl. Ohio law enforcement officials have also identified over 1,300 cases of human trafficking in Ohio between 2014 and 2020. "I am urging Joe Biden and the Democrat majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to enhance their efforts to combat the human trafficking and drug smuggling crisis at our border," Gavarone added. "The current boarder policies impact more than just border states. As elected officials our most important charge is to secure the safety of the people in this state—their homes and their businesses," said Cirino. "Breaking our laws in the name of social justice has resulted in harm to our citizens through increased crime, and something must be done about it." To learn more about Senate Resolution 243, click here.