CARLISLE, Pa. — A surge in border crossings and migration over the past several years has resulted in concern amongst communities over the resources needed to accommodate everybody, along with combatting other substances crossing the border.
Viewers of FOX43 have selected this issue as one of their most important in this year’s election as part of FOX43’s Pennsylvania’s Choice series.
Cumberland County District Attorney Sean McCormack has overseen Operation Speed Bump to arrest dealers of methamphetamine. What he has found is that the drugs they seize are not being made here in Pennsylvania.
“Methamphetamine, traditionally in Pennsylvania, was home cooked,” McCormack said. “It was clear to all the officers that the methamphetamine was being imported into our county, into our state, most likely from Mexico.”
The investigation comes as the prevalence of other drugs such as fentanyl have increased over the last several years.
It comes as encounters at the border between officers and illegal crossers or asylum seekers reached record highs of above two million in each of the last two years, and reached a record high for a month back in December.
The number has dropped significantly in the past several months, going down nearly 80% since executive action was taken by president Biden in early June.
Operation Speed Bump has seen 55 arrest warrants given for drug traffickers in Cumberland County, and McCormack believes that controlling the southern border is the key to curtailing the flow of drugs into the area.
"It should not be treated as a political issue," he said. "It should be treated as a security issue, because it really is something that's endangering the security of our communities."
Election Day is set for Nov. 5.