Sen. Smith: Amendment to stop illegal immigrant drug dealers

Senator Brock Smith, Representative Goodwin Introduce Amendment to Address Illegal Immigrant Fentanyl Dealers
By Senator David Brock Smith,
and Representative Christine Goodwin

SALEM, Ore. – Yesterday, Senator David Brock Smith (R-Port Orford) and Representative Christine Goodwin (R-Canyonville) introduced a common sense amendment to HB 4002 that would flag ICE when a fentanyl dealer and manufacturer is in violation of federal immigration law.

Illegal cartel drugs like fentanyl continue to flow across America’s borders and into the veins of Oregonians at record levels. That is why a group of legislators including Brock Smith and Goodwin expressed their strong support of Texas Governor Greg Abbott for his efforts to secure portions of the southern border in a letter earlier this month. The -4 amendment addresses this issue on the ground by utilizing local law enforcement in coordination with federal immigration authorities.

“The Biden Administration has refused to enforce our immigration laws and because of it, we’re seeing mass illegal immigration across the southern border. Oregon is not immune to the consequences of an open border,” said Senator Brock Smith. “Measure 110 made Oregon a destination for cartels and illegal drug traffickers to poison our kids and communities without consequence. The -4 amendment to HB 4002 is needed to save lives by deporting illegal drug dealers.”

“Oregon’s drug decriminalization experiment and Joe Biden’s open border policy has claimed thousands of lives and done irreparable harm to our communities,” said Representative Goodwin. “This Session, we as lawmakers must do all we can to course correct. This amendment would provide a critical tool local, state, and federal law enforcement need to arrest, hold, report, and deport illegal fentanyl dealers.”

The -4 Amendment to HB 4002 will, if a person is arrested for delivery or manufacture of fentanyl, have the arresting officer immediately notify federal immigration authorities. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will then check the immigration status of the arrested individual and notify the arresting agency of that status.

The Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response will hold a work session on HB 4002 and all its proposed amendments tonight at 5:00PM. You can watch Senator Brock Smith give his testimony on the -4 here.