As an emergency room doctor and a combat veteran, I am running for Congress to address the critical issues that affect our community and nation. One of the most pressing challenges is the flow of illegal drugs across the Mexican border into the United States. This crisis is not just a policy issue for me; it's a daily reality I confront in the emergency room, where I witness the devastating impact of drug overdoses on families and our community.
Having served our country in combat, I understand the complexities of national security. The drug trafficking across our southern border is not only a public health crisis but a matter of national security that requires immediate and decisive action.
As your representative in Congress, I am committed to the following actions to enhance border security and tackle drug trafficking:
1. Enhanced Physical Barriers: Strengthening physical barriers in strategic locations to deter illegal crossings and drug smuggling.
2. Advanced Technology: Implementing cutting-edge surveillance and detection technologies to effectively monitor border activities.
3. Increased Border Personnel: Expanding and training more Border Patrol agents and customs officials to manage border operations efficiently.
4. Holding Mexico Accountable: Demanding stronger actions against drug cartels from the Mexican government and holding them accountable for their role in this crisis. Our diplomatic stance must be firm and unwavering.
5. Decisive Action Against Cartels: As a combat veteran, I understand the necessity of a coordinated, comprehensive strategy to dismantle and destroy drug cartels. This includes military and law enforcement efforts, as well as disrupting their financial networks and supply chains.
The ongoing drug crisis affects us all. In my experience as an ER doctor, I've seen too many lives lost and families broken by the scourge of drug addiction and overdose. It's time for our leaders to take serious action to secure our borders and protect our citizens.
The Biden administration has unequivocally and disastrously destroyed our southern border with policies crafted by open-borders activists who want nothing more than to see our country crumble from within. Drugs and crime continue to climb in every part of this nation as more and more illegal immigrants and their criminal activity continue to pour across the border.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized approximately 140,000 pounds of methamphetamine, 81,000 pounds of cocaine, and 27,000 pounds of fentanyl in 2023. That amount of fentanyl is enough to provide the whole U.S. population with a lethal dose. And we may never know how many pounds of drugs the CBP failed to catch. The amount of drugs the CBP is finding in 2024 already appears set to surpass last year’s numbers.
The Biden administration’s lack of respect and value for American lives is unacceptable and should not be tolerated by members of Congress or the American people. Every life lost to this issue should be considered a preventable death. We must act now before we lose even another single life.
To say that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas should be impeached is an understatement. Whether he is taking his orders from Joe Biden or making the calls on his own, he has the blood of innocent Americans on his hands. And he doesn’t seem to be too concerned about it. If he is not impeached by the time I am elected to office, I will personally ensure he faces the consequences of his distasteful actions.
I pledge to bring my experience and perspective as a medical professional and a veteran to Congress, advocating for effective and rigorous measures to safeguard our nation from the dangers of drug trafficking. It's not just a matter of policy.; it's a matter of saving lives and defending our national security.
Dr. (Colonel) Josh McConkey is a respected US Air Force Reserve Colonel, physician, and a passionate advocate for leadership and community service. He is running for Congress in North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District and is committed to using his extensive military and medical experience to serve his constituents and strengthen our country.
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