Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is calling on the Trump administration to close a loophole in the law that is used by drug traffickers to flood deadly fentanyl into the U.S.
Marshall joined a coalition of 25 state attorneys general asking U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem and Acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Pete Flores for greater scrutiny of an import pilot program called Entry Type 86, which they argue allows small packages to enter the U.S. with minimal customs screening.
“Fentanyl is devastating communities across Alabama and the nation, and we must take decisive action to shut down every avenue that allows this deadly drug to enter our country. Loopholes like Entry Type 86 pose a serious threat to public safety, making it easier for traffickers to smuggle fentanyl and other dangerous substances across the border,” Marshall said.
“I am confident that the Trump Administration will take immediate steps to close this gap and strengthen border security to protect American lives.”
The attorneys general explain in the letter that the Entry Type 86 Program has far exceeded its “original scope.”
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“Entry Type 86 now accounts for 75% of all de minimis goods entering the United States, with shipments increasing from 153 million in 2015 to more than 1.2 billion in 2024,” the letter stated. “Any surge of this magnitude requires further study, especially when it comes to potential challenges within our customs enforcement system. It raises serious concerns about the flood of deadly drugs coming into our country through this program, along with other issues including noncompliance, supply chain vulnerabilities, and the circumvention of duty and regulatory obligations.”
Alabama joined the Kentucky-led letter alongside attorneys general from Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
“We as state attorneys general stand ready to work together with you to cut off all avenues for the entry of fentanyl and other potentially lethal drugs into our communities. The lives of those we all serve will be saved as a result,” the letter concluded.
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee
