Following the killing and kidnapping of American citizens in Mexico by suspected drug traffickers, Republican officials slammed President Biden’s open border policies while calling his presidency “the best thing that ever happened” to the drug cartels and blaming the Biden team for having “empowered” them.
On Tuesday, U.S. and Mexican law enforcement confirmed that two of four U.S. citizens abducted in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, were killed by a Gulf Cartel cell, while the other two Americans were rescued during a stash house raid.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) blamed President Joe Biden and the Democrats “for turning the Mexican drug cartels into multi-billionaires.”
“They have killed Americans and brought ceaseless amounts of fentanyl into our country,” Cruz wrote. “We need to bankrupt them and bring the cartels to justice.”
“President Biden is the best thing that ever happened to the Mexican drug cartels,” he wrote in another tweet.
“If we had real leadership, the cartels wouldn’t be killing Americans, fentanyl wouldn’t be flowing into our country, and our southern border would be secure,” he added.
“For the past 2 years, cartels have been running our border, killing Americans at record rates with fentanyl,” wrote Congressman Jeff Van Drew (R-NY). “Now, cartels have murdered 2 Americans.”
“The admin saying the border is ‘secure’ is disrespectful to every American who has lost a loved one due to this crisis,” he added.
“Drug cartels think they can get away with violence against Americans because they’ve noticed the culture of lawlessness created by Joe Biden,” wrote Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS).
“Our bill gives federal authorities more power to preserve Americans’ safety & security,” he added.
“Mexican Cartels are directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans and migrants, and the Biden Administration is asleep at the wheel,” wrote Rep. Chp Roy (R-TX).
“We must knock their knees out and regain operational control of the border,” he added.
“The Mexican drug cartel’s revenue has increased 26x since 2018,” wrote Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R-CO). “Joe Biden’s economy is working out for someone, just not the American people.”
“Dictators, cartels and bad guys around the world know that @JoeBiden is a weak appeaser with open border policies,” wrote Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL).
“They’re taking full advantage by trafficking evil drugs across the southern border & poisoning our communities,” he added. “We must classify them as the terrorists they are.”
“Two American citizens have died in Mexico because Biden has empowered Mexican criminal cartels and gangs,” wrote Rep Andy Biggs (R-AZ).
“He is AWOL and Americans deserve to immediately know what he will do in response to this horrific incident,” he added.
“Our border is OWNED by the cartels,” wrote Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX).
“Biden needs to act and act NOW,” he added. “His inaction is wreaking HAVOC on our country!!”
“American lives are in danger as this administration’s open border policies hand murderous cartels more and more power by the day,” wrote Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).
“Tragic, unacceptable, and avoidable,” he added.
“Another tragic reminder that Biden has given operational control of our border to Mexican crime cartels,” wrote Congressman Bob Good (R-VA).
“When will enough be enough?” he asked.
“There’s no chance the cartel would be SO BOLD if America had a president who took border security seriously,” wrote Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK), chairman of the influential Republican Study Committee.
“We are a laughingstock because of Biden’s weak leadership,” he added.
“Mexico’s cartels have run wild since Biden took office — and American blood has been spilled,” wrote Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA).
“Is he going to do anything about it?” he asked.
“Two kidnapped Americans are now dead in cartel-controlled Mexico,” wrote House Chief Deputy Whip Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA). “Biden’s open border allows these criminals to thrive.”
“Mexican cartels are terrorist organizations — it’s time for Biden to treat them like it,” he added.
“Joe Biden is directly responsible for the increase in violence at the southern border,” wrote Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). “He needs to accept responsibility for the consequences his policies have created.”
“Biden’s open border policies are emboldening the cartels,” she warned in another tweet.
“Human trafficking went from a $500 million business to a $13 billion business under Biden,” wrote Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN). “Joe Biden has created the greatest humanitarian crisis in American history at our southern border.”
“Americans are dying. Our border is in absolute shambles. And Biden & Co are sitting on their hands while they empower cartels,” wrote Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX).
“Weakness at home equals weakness abroad,” wrote Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL).
“Enemy cartels no longer fear us, and sadly these are the consequences,” she added. “We pray for the family of the victims.”
“4 Americans cross into Mexico and get fired upon, held at gunpoint and kidnapped [while] Illegal immigrants cross into America and get free transportation, hotels, and cell phones,” wrote Congressman Lance Gooden (R-TX).
“2 kidnapped Americans are dead because of narco-terrorists,” wrote Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX). “These groups are operating in over 60 American cities.”
“America is being destroyed by Biden’s dereliction of duty,” he added.
“Mexican cartels kill Americans every single day with their drugs. Now, they are kidnapping and murdering Americans in Mexican border towns,” wrote Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI).
“How many more lives will cartels take before @POTUS takes back operational control of our southern border?” he asked.
“Cartels are now killing American citizens across the southern border,” wrote Congressman Michael Cloud (R-TX). “This is a full blown crisis and Joe Biden can’t even be bothered to acknowledge that reality much less come up with a plan to do anything about it.”
“Our country deserves better,” he added.
The incident began on Friday afternoon when Latavia “Tay” McGee, Shaeed Woodard, Zindell Brown, and Eric James Williams crossed from Brownsville, Texas, into Matamoros for medical tourism.
During a news conference, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said they were searching for medicine, however, other sources suggested some were seeking cosmetic procedures.
After crossing into Matamoros, the group — whose white minivan bore North Carolina plates — was chased, shot, and kidnapped.
During the chase, the minivan crashed into another vehicle, and the gunmen opened fire, striking and killing an innocent female bystander who was departing a city bus.
It remains unclear if the gunmen directly targeted the four U.S. citizens or if it was a case of mistaken identity.
It also remains unclear why Mexican authorities did not respond to the scene until after the cartel gunmen had left with the victims.
Most news outlets in Mexico only reported on the death of the innocent bystander prior to the U.S. Embassy releasing a statement confirming the kidnapping.
The matter comes as the United States continues to face record-high levels of illegal immigration, with over 844,000 migrants either apprehended after crossing the southwest border or classified as “got-aways” during the first quarter of fiscal year 2023.
In nearly the first two years under the Biden administration, Border Patrol agents have apprehended a record-setting 4.2 million migrants.
Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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