WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, urged his colleagues on the Senate and House Appropriations Committees to address illicit weapons trafficking operations in the Western Hemisphere on May 13.
“Recently, members of Congress have expressed reasonable concern regarding federal agencies’s efforts to prevent firearms trafficking from the U.S. into Latin America and the Caribbean. For instance, recent reports have shown that 70% of illegal guns recovered in Mexico are sourced from the U.S.,” wrote the lawmakers. “Transnational criminal organizations operating in Mexico then use these weapons to wage their drug war through violence, terrorism, and intimidation, often with little resistance from Mexican authorities.”
The White House National Security Council has identified countering and preventing violence, illicit trafficking networks, and corruption driven by criminal organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean as critical factors in addressing the root causes of migration from the region to the U.S. Illegal weapons trafficking also increases violence and corruption, harming democracy and handicapping economies – giving people more reason to flee their homes.
The lawmakers urge the leaders of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs to include language in the upcoming Fiscal Year 2025 government funding bill requiring an inter-agency report to monitor and combat weapons trafficking and study its effects on violence, economic opportunity, and corruption in the region.
“Experts suggest China, Russia, and Iran have taken advantage of the economic instability and corruption to increase their influence in Latin America and the Caribbean. The U.S. Congress must act swiftly in stemming the current flow of illicit guns from the U.S. to transnational criminal organizations who exploit government corruption in Latin America and the Caribbean,” concluded the lawmakers. “We urge you to support the inclusion of this report language in the FY 2025 SFOPS Appropriations bill.”
The letter was led by Sens. Michael Bennet, D-Colo, and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. Alongside Heinrich, the letter was signed by Sens. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Angus King, I-Maine, Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Tim Kaine, D-Va., Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Bob Casey, D-Pa., Chris Murphy, D-Conn.,and Raphael Warnock, D-Ga..
By Sen. Martin Henirch
