The U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs approved subcommittee chair Kyrsten Sinema, I-AZ, and Senator James Lankford, R-OK’s Combating Cartels on Social Media Act on June 14.
The bipartisan legislation establishes a national strategy to combat cartel recruitment while educating at-risk youth about the dangers of becoming involved with smuggling.
“We are pleased to see steps taken to address cartels’ use of social media to recruit load car drivers to transport migrants north from near the U.S.-Mexico Border,” Sierra Vista Mayor Clea McCaa said. “These load car drivers are encouraged to drive recklessly through southern Arizona communities, showing little regard for the potentially deadly consequences of their actions.”
The bill, if passed, would also require the Department of Homeland Security to additionally monitor cartel usage of social media.
“Cartels lure Arizona teenagers through social media into dangerous and illegal activities with the promise of easy cash, putting Arizonans’ lives at serious risk,” Sinema said.
The bill was also backed by Senator Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.; Senator Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn.; Senator Jon Tester, D-Mont. and Senator Thom Tillis, R-N.C.
