WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) joined Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and their Republican colleagues in reintroducing the Stop Fentanyl Border Crossings Act, legislation to add drug smuggling as an additional basis for Title 42 immigration enforcement authority. This would preserve the authority for border patrol agents to quickly remove illegal border crossers and stop the drug trafficking that is fueling the overdose epidemic in Wyoming.

“The situation at our border is a crisis. Even more, the massive amount of fentanyl flowing across our border has turned it into a health crisis,” said Lummis. “Title 42 was created to help prevent the spread of disease, and we are experiencing an epidemic of deaths here in Wyoming and across the country due to this incredibly deadly drug. Thank you to Sen. Hagerty for his work to find solutions to this dangerous situation.”

In 2021, Wyoming recorded 106 fentanyl-related deaths. Due to large increases in fentanyl-related seizures, the Wyoming Highway Patrol is increasing its resources to combat fentanyl trafficking with 10 canine teams trained to detect the drug. 

Nationwide fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18-45.

Led by Sen. Hagerty, Sens. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Todd Young (R-Ind.) also cosponsored this bill.