Friday, June 27, 2025

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Aircraft Carrier Loses Fighter Jet at Sea, May Have Been Under Houthi Fire.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened:

The USS Harry S. Truman lost an F/A-18E Super Hornet and a tow tractor overboard in the Red Sea on April 28, 2025, possibly while evading Houthi fire during a sharp turn.

👥 Who’s Involved: U.S. Navy personnel aboard the USS Harry S. Truman, Carrier Air Wing 1, Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 136, and Houthi forces in Yemen.

📍 Where & When: Red Sea, during operations aboard the USS Harry S. Truman on April 28, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: The U.S. Navy stated, “The F/A-18E was being towed in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft, resulting in both the Super Hornet and the tow tractor going overboard.”

⚠️ Impact: The incident, potentially linked to Houthi aggression, underscores the risks faced by U.S. naval forces in the region, reinforcing the need for a robust military response to protect American assets.

IN FULL:

The USS Harry S. Truman lost a valuable F/A-18E Super Hornet and a tow tractor overboard in the Red Sea on April 28, 2025, an incident that may have been triggered by evasive action against Houthi fire. The U.S. Navy reported, “The F/A-18E was being towed in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft, resulting in both the Super Hornet and the tow tractor going overboard.” While the Navy has launched an investigation into the mishap, unconfirmed reports suggest the carrier executed a sharp turn to evade Houthi attacks, highlighting the escalating threats faced by American forces in the region.

The F/A-18E belonged to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 136, part of Carrier Air Wing 1 embarked on the USS Harry S. Truman. Quick action by the tow crew ensured all personnel moved clear before the aircraft fell into the sea. All personnel were accounted for, with one sailor sustaining a minor injury. Despite the loss, the Navy emphasized that the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, which includes the flagship USS Harry S. Truman, Carrier Air Wing 1’s nine squadrons, three guided-missile destroyers from Destroyer Squadron 28, and the USS Gettysburg (CG 64), remains fully mission capable.

The potential Houthi involvement in this incident aligns with their recent aggression against U.S. assets in the Red Sea. The Houthis claimed attacks on the USS Harry S. Truman in March 2025, using ballistic missiles and drones, though no damage was reported. The Iran-backed group has also targeted the USS Carl Vinson, with strikes reported earlier in April 2025.

The Houthis have seriously disrupted shipping routes since 2023, claiming solidarity with Palestinians, and their actions have prompted U.S. retaliatory strikes, including operations involving Super Hornets.

By Popular Demand.
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BREAKING: Trump Terminates Trade Talks With Canada.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump has broken off trade talks with Canada after America’s northern neighbor announced it would implement a digital services tax on U.S. technology companies.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Canada, the United States, and U.S. technology companies.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced Friday, June 27, 2025, on Trump’s Truth Social platform.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We have just been informed that Canada, a very difficult Country to TRADE with, including the fact that they have charged our Farmers as much as 400% Tariffs, for years, on Dairy Products, has just announced that they are putting a Digital Services Tax on our American Technology Companies, which is a direct and blatant attack on our Country,” President Trump wrote.

🎯IMPACT: President Trump indicated the U.S. would retaliate against the Canadian tax on U.S. technology companies by imposing a new round of tariffs on Canadian businesses.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump announced on Friday that the United States is ending all trade negotiations with Canada “effective immediately” after the country announced it would impose a digital services tax on American technology companies. The United States and Canada had been engaged in protracted trade talks for weeks, with the negotiations being frustrated by the steep tariffs America’s northern neighbor imposes on U.S. farmers.

“We have just been informed that Canada, a very difficult Country to TRADE with, including the fact that they have charged our Farmers as much as 400% Tariffs, for years, on Dairy Products, has just announced that they are putting a Digital Services Tax on our American Technology Companies, which is a direct and blatant attack on our Country,” President Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. He continued: “They are obviously copying the European Union, which has done the same thing, and is currently under discussion with us, also. Based on this egregious Tax, we are hereby terminating ALL discussions on Trade with Canada, effective immediately.”

“We will let Canada know the Tariff that they will be paying to do business with the United States of America within the next seven day period. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump added.

In recent weeks, the Trump White House has made significant progress in bilateral trade negotiations with a number of countries. After announcing a global 10 percent tariff in April, the United States has struck trade agreements with both the United Kingdom and China. Additional talks with key trade partners like India and Japan remain ongoing, and agreements with both nations appear imminent.

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SCOTUS Just Upheld This Obamacare Provision.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of a key provision of the Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as “Obamacare.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The ruling was issued by the Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision, with Justice Brett Kavanaugh authoring the opinion. Other justices in the majority included John Roberts, Sonya Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett, and Ketanji Brown Jackson.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was handed down in Washington, D.C. on June 27, 2025, with the case focusing on the appointment and oversight of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Health Secretary may review recommendations from the task force before they take effect,” the court ruled, acknowledging the oversight role of the Health Secretary.

🎯IMPACT: An estimated 150 million Americans benefitted from the preventive healthcare provision in 2020 alone, which includes services like cancer screenings and immunizations.

IN FULL

The United States Supreme Court has ruled that a crucial provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), often referred to as “Obamacare,” is constitutional. The case specifically examined the appointment process for members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a panel responsible for determining which preventive health services private insurance companies must cover at no cost to patients. Notably, this task force is responsible for having implemented Obamacare’s contraception mandate.

The court’s decision, authored by Justice Brett Kavanaugh and supported by five other justices, also clarified that members of the task force can be removed at will by the Health Secretary, currently Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Additionally, the Health Secretary has the authority to review the task force’s recommendations before they are implemented. However, the case specifically revolved around the provision of PrEP, a pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV, which some plaintiffs argued violated their religious beliefs.

The plaintiffs, represented by former Texas Solicitor General Jonathan Mitchell, received backing from Republican and conservative groups. Despite this, the Obamacare provision was defended by the Biden government, with significant opposition to ending the provision coming from public health groups, hospitals, and Democratic attorneys general. The case continued under the Trump administration following the 2024 presidential election.

The Supreme Court has now ended one of the last significant legal challenges to Obamacare, suggesting any future attempts to undo the law through the courts will prove unfruitful.

Image by Domenico Convertini.

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Trump Ally Paxton Wins SCOTUS Porn Ban Case.

PULSE POINTS

What Happened: The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring pornography websites to verify user age, delivering a win for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

👤Who’s Involved: Justices of the Supreme Court, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton; Free Speech Coalition (plaintiff), Texas children, pornographers.

📍When & Where: Supreme Court of the United States, decision issued June 27, 2025.

💬Key Quote: “[F]rom the late 19th century onward, this Court has consistently recognized the government’s power to proscribe obscenity… In addition to their general interest in protecting the public at large, States have a specific interest in protecting children from sexually explicit speech.” – Justice Clarence Thomas.

🎯Impact: The ruling reinstates a Texas law requiring age verification for pornographic websites, sets a precedent for other states, and signals a broader shift toward state authority over regulating content online.

IN FULL

The Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring age verification for accessing online pornography on Friday, June 27, delivering a 6-3 victory to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and setting a precedent for similar legislation in 19 states. The ruling, penned by Justice Clarence Thomas, rejected arguments from the so-called Free Speech Coalition and pornographers that the law—H.B. 1181—infringes on privacy rights, affirming Texas’s power to protect minors from explicit content.

“[F]rom the late 19th century onward, this Court has consistently recognized the government’s power to proscribe obscenity,” Justice Thomas wrote for the majority, adding: “In addition to their general interest in protecting the public at large, States have a specific interest in protecting children from sexually explicit speech.”

The ruling affirms that the “power to require age verification is within a State’s authority to prevent children from accessing sexually explicit content,” and “H.B. 1181 is a constitutionally permissible exercise of that authority.”

The decision reverberates beyond Texas, impacting laws in states like Louisiana, Utah, and Arkansas, where similar measures to protect children from pornography are in place. The ruling also bolsters Paxton, an ally of President Donald J. Trump currently attempting to primary Republican-in-name-only Texas Senator John Cornyn.

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By Popular Demand.
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BREAKING: SCOTUS Rules Schools Cannot Impose LGBT Ideology on Children Against Parents’ Wishes.

The United States Supreme Court ruled six to three on Friday in favor of a group of Maryland parents seeking opt-outs to prevent their children from being exposed to LGBTQ books and materials “designed to ‘disrupt’ children’s thinking about sexuality and gender.” According to the Montgomery County, Maryland School Board, teachers are not required to notify parents when using LGBTQ materials, prompting the parents to sue and seek an injunction against the policy.

“Today, we hold that the parents have shown that they are entitled to a preliminary injunction. A government burdens the religious exercise of parents when it requires them to submit their children to instruction that poses ‘a very real threat of undermining’ the religious beliefs and practices that the parents wish to instill,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority. “And a government cannot condition the benefit of free public education on parents’ acceptance of such instruction. Based on these principles, we conclude that the parents are likely to succeed in their challenge to the Board’s policies.”

“The practice of educating one’s children in one’s religious beliefs, like all religious acts and practices, receives a generous measure of protection from our Constitution,” Alito explained, adding: “And this is not merely a right to teach religion in the confines of one’s own home. Rather, it extends to the choices that parents wish to make for their children outside the home. It protects, for example, a parent’s decision to send his or her child to a private religious school instead of a public school.”

“Specifically, until all appellate review in this case is completed, the Board should be ordered to notify them in advance whenever one of the books in question or any other similar book is to be used in any way and to allow them to have their children excused from that instruction,” the ruling concludes.

Image by Quinn Dombrowski.

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The United States Supreme Court ruled six to three on Friday in favor of a group of Maryland parents seeking opt-outs to prevent their children from being exposed to LGBTQ books and materials "designed to 'disrupt' children’s thinking about sexuality and gender." According to the Montgomery County, Maryland School Board, teachers are not required to notify parents when using LGBTQ materials, prompting the parents to sue and seek an injunction against the policy. show more
By Popular Demand.
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BREAKING: SCOTUS Limits Lawfare Against Trump, Stays Birthright Citizenship Injunction.

The United States Supreme Court has put an end, in part, to the use of nationwide injunctions from federal courts limiting the executive branch. On Friday, the high court—considering a combination of three cases—granted the Trump administration’s request to partially stay the injunctions, stating that the orders “are broader than necessary to provide complete relief to each plaintiff with standing to sue.”

Writing for the six-judge majority, Justice Amy Coney Barrett argued, “[F]ederal courts do not exercise general oversight of the Executive Branch; they resolve cases and controversies consistent with the authority Congress has given them. When a court concludes that the Executive Branch has acted unlawfully, the answer is not for the court to exceed its power, too.”

This ruling marks a significant victory for President Donald J. Trump, as lower federal courts will now only be allowed to grant injunctive relief in their respective jurisdictions and cannot issue blanket nationwide blocks against executive branch directives.  Notably, the ruling also signals the potential likelihood that the Trump White House will succeed on the merits of the three cases used to win the stay order. Critically, one of the cases involves President Trump’s Executive Order ending birthright citizenship.

While the decision largely curtails nationwide injunctions, there remains—as noted by Justice Samuel Alito—a modicum of ‘wiggle room’ for lower courts to issue injunctions beyond their jurisdiction.

Image by Billy Wilson.

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The United States Supreme Court has put an end, in part, to the use of nationwide injunctions from federal courts limiting the executive branch. On Friday, the high court—considering a combination of three cases—granted the Trump administration's request to partially stay the injunctions, stating that the orders "are broader than necessary to provide complete relief to each plaintiff with standing to sue." show more
By Popular Demand.
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NYC’s Mamdani: Race Rioting ‘Has to Happen.’

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Kwame Mamdani defended the Black Lives Matter riots in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2020, describing the violence as necessary and grounded in racial justice solidarity.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zohran Mamdani, Minneapolis rioters, local business owners, and social media users.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Minneapolis and New York City, May 30, 2020; Mamdani’s social media post resurfaced June 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “While politicians & pundits condemn the uprising in Minneapolis from TV studios thousands of miles away, those at the center of it – even those who are hurting – understand why it’s happening. And why it has to happen. Black + brown solidarity will overcome white supremacy.” – Zohran Kwame Mamdani.

🎯IMPACT: Mamdani’s comments on Minneapolis highlight his promotion of racial grievance politics and pro-criminal stance, with opponents accusing him of condoning riots and racial unrest in pursuit of radical politics.

IN FULL

In a resurfaced post on Twitter, now X, from May 30, 2020, New York City Assemblyman and current Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani appeared to justify the Minneapolis riots that followed the death of George Floyd. While referencing the destruction of local businesses and escalating violence, Mamdani stated: “While politicians & pundits condemn the uprising in Minneapolis from TV studios thousands of miles away, those at the center of it – even those who are hurting – understand why it’s happening. And why it has to happen. Black + brown solidarity will overcome white supremacy.”

The post was a response to journalist Molly Hensley-Clancy, citing a restaurant business destroyed during the riots whose owner stated, “Let my building burn, justice needs to be served.”

Critics say Mamdani’s statement shows explicit sympathy for violent rioters and a willingness to frame destruction as a justified tool of political expression.

Mamdani has a long history of advocating for the abolition of police, so-called “decarcerations” of jail and prison inmates, and systemic dismantling of the criminal justice and law enforcement apparatus, stating in 2020, “White supremacy has many faces, from the police & prison systems in America to occupation & apartheid in Palestine.”

The Uganda-born “Twelver” Muslim previously wrote that “as socialists, we believe people should not have to endure the violence & coercion of a criminal-legal system.”

He has also stated, “As socialists, we believe people should not have to endure the violence & coercion of a criminal-legal system that props up the exploitation of the market by surveilling, caging & killing those fighting to survive under capitalism. We can abolish that system.”

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By Popular Demand.
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RFK Jr. Pulls Funding From Bill Gates-Backed Global Vaccine Group.

HHS Secretary RFK Jr. announced the U.S. would cut off funding to GAVI, a Bill Gates-backed global vaccine alliance, until it takes steps to “re-earn the public’s trust.”

The details: In a short pre-recorded speech shown at a GAVI meeting in Brussels this week, Kennedy criticized the global vaccine group, primarily due to its actions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kennedy says the organization:

  • Pushed “social media companies to silence dissenting views” and “stifle free speech.”
  • Made “questionable recommendations” such as “encouraging pregnant women to receive COVID-19 vaccines.”

DPT vaccine: Kennedy singles out GAVI’s promotion of the DTP vaccine in developing countries, citing major peer-reviewed studies showing that girls who receive it are up to 10 times more likely to die from all causes within their first six months of life. Notably, the DTP vaccine is no longer used in the developed world.

  • GAVI responded to this in a statement saying it “continues to have full confidence” in the DTP vaccine.

The numbers: The United States contributes roughly $300 million annually to GAVI.

No more cash: RFK Jr. says the U.S. will not contribute to GAVI until it can “re-earn the public trust” and “justify the $8 billion that America has provided in funding since 2001.”

Ties to Gates: GAVI has strong ties to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is its largest private donor, contributing $7.7 billion to it over the last 25 years. Bill Gates has been a vocal mouthpiece for COVID-19 vaccines.

The last word goes to Kennedy, who said: “Business as usual is over. Unaccountable and opaque policy-making is over… I invite all of you to join us in a new era of evidence-based medicine.”

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HHS Secretary RFK Jr. announced the U.S. would cut off funding to GAVI, a Bill Gates-backed global vaccine alliance, until it takes steps to "re-earn the public's trust." show more
By Popular Demand.
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This Adult Illegal Alien Lied His Way Into High School. Now He’s Facing Gun Charges.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A federal grand jury indicted a 24-year-old illegal immigrant from Venezuela, Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, on charges including unlawful possession of a firearm and lying about his age to enroll in high school.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, the Department of Justice (DOJ), Perrysburg Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Labrador Sierra resided in Perrysburg, Ohio, and was arrested during a traffic stop on Interstate 75. The indictment came this week.

🎯IMPACT: If convicted, Labrador Sierra faces up to 15 years in prison for firearm possession, 10 years for false statements, and five years for document fraud.

IN FULL

Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, a 24-year-old illegal immigrant from Venezuela, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts, including possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully in the U.S. and making false statements. Labrador Sierra had posed as a 16-year-old to attend high school in Perrysburg, Ohio, until his arrest last month.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) stated that Labrador Sierra submitted false information to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to obtain Temporary Protective Status (TPS) and Employment Authorization Documents in 2024 and 2025. He also allegedly falsified information on federal forms to purchase a Taurus G3C 9mm semiautomatic pistol, which he was prohibited from owning as an illegal alien.

Detectives discovered that Labrador Sierra, who enrolled in high school as a 16-year-old unaccompanied minor, was actually a 24-year-old man. He had used fraudulent documents to enroll and participate in school activities, including junior varsity soccer and swimming.

The school district confirmed that Labrador Sierra had been enrolled under federal and state guidelines for unaccompanied minors, obtaining a state-issued driver’s license and social security number during his time at Perrysburg High School. According to former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) frontman Elon Musk, millions of non-citizens received Social Security numbers last year.

Guardianship of Labrador Sierra had been granted to a Perrysburg family, who later discovered his true age and reported it to authorities.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed that Labrador Sierra overstayed a visa after arriving in the U.S. in 2019. He was ultimately arrested during a traffic stop on Interstate 75. Labrador Sierra now faces significant prison time if convicted of the charges brought against him.

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By Popular Demand.
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Iranian Sleeper Cells Threaten American Colleges and Universities.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Experts warn that Iranian operatives on American college campuses present a threat due to Biden’s lax border policies, which enabled the entry of terrorists. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued warnings about increased threats from Iranian-backed groups following the Israel-Iran conflict.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Iranian students, DHS, and federal law enforcement.

📍WHEN & WHERE: American colleges and universities, 2025

💬KEY QUOTE: “The likelihood of violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilizing to violence in response to the conflict would likely increase if Iranian leadership issued a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland.” – DHS.

🎯IMPACT: Iranian “sleeper cells” pose a terrorism risk, particularly in schools and public spaces.

IN FULL

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and researchers at the Henry Jackson Society are warning that Iranian operatives could seek to target American colleges in retaliation for recent U.S. strikes on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities. They believe “sleeper cells” who have entered the U.S. as foreign students could potentially execute a terror attack or other politically motivated act of violence.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin highlighting an elevated threat of domestic terrorism posed by both Iranian-backed groups and domestic attackers. The bulletin states, “The likelihood of violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilizing to violence in response to the conflict would likely increase if Iranian leadership issued a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland.”

“Iran’s ability to react militarily is increasingly minimalized,” commented Barak Seener, a senior fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, explaining that this has pushed Iran to rely more on sleeper cells to carry out operations globally.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement previously arrested 11 Iranian illegal aliens, including a former sniper, in an effort to preempt a possible insider attack. However, Seener warns that open border policies under the Biden-Harris government have made it difficult to track foreign operatives, adding that Iranian influence may extend to U.S. campus protests through Iranians on student visas pushing anti-Israel and anti-American sentiment.

“Iran will be seeking to flex by activating sleeper cells in the U.S., Britain, Europe, or even Asia,” Seener warned, adding: “[It’s] about conducting surveillance and then targeting either community centers or policy officials.”

Currently, a ceasefire brokered by U.S President Donald J. Trump is holding between Israel and Iran, thanks in part to pressure exerted by the American leader, particularly on the Israelis. While the activation of U.S. sleeper cells is a possible response to the U.S. intervention in the conflict, the Iranian regime may content itself with its failed, largely symbolic retaliatory missile strike against a U.S. base in Qatar in order to keep the peace.

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Trump Is Launching a Visa Crackdown on Fentanyl Traffickers’ Families.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new sanctions aimed at combating the flow of fentanyl into the United States.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Secretary of State Marco Rubio, State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, and law enforcement agencies.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced Thursday, June 26, 2025, with actions spanning across the United States and its borders.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Today’s action expands upon existing tools… to deter and dismantle the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs from entering the United States and harming U.S. citizens.” – Marco Rubio.

🎯IMPACT: The sanctions aim to disrupt drug trafficking networks, reduce fentanyl-related deaths, and bolster national security.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump’s Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, announced new sanctions on Thursday targeting the flow of fentanyl into the United States. The policy includes visa restrictions on family members and close associates of foreign drug traffickers. Rubio described the measures as “necessary” to “deter and dismantle” the deadly drug trade.

State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott explained that the sanctions “will not only prevent them from entering the United States, but also serve as a deterrent for continued illicit activities.” Rubio emphasized the urgency of addressing the fentanyl crisis, noting that overdoses remain the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 44.

“More than 40 percent of Americans reportedly know someone who has died from an opioid overdose,” Rubio stated, adding that the U.S. averages over 220 overdose deaths daily. The CDC reported that fentanyl was linked to 48,422 deaths in 2024 alone.

Attorney General Pam Bondi highlighted a major fentanyl bust earlier this year, where authorities seized over 400 kilos of fentanyl and arrested 16 individuals, including six illegal immigrants. Bondi described fentanyl as a weapon of “mass destruction” and issued a stern warning to traffickers, stating, “When we catch you… we will put you behind bars for as long as humanly possible.”

The new sanctions and law enforcement efforts build on President Donald J. Trump’s initiatives to combat fentanyl trafficking through increased border security and targeting cartels as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). According to the Center for Immigration Studies, fentanyl seizures at the southern border have dropped significantly, signaling a potential decline in smuggling activities.

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By Popular Demand.
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