Border Commerce Chair on National Security and Drug Smuggling Operations

National Security and Border Operations

• 📌 Nelson Balido, chair of the Border Commerce and Security Council, advocates for keeping drug interdiction operations private due to national security concerns.
• 🎯 He emphasizes that these operations target drug smuggling boats leaving from Venezuela, Colombia, and Mexico, which are often equipped with powerful engines and loaded with cocaine.
• 🚀 Balido argues that the U.S. must act to stop the issue from the source, pushing the border back to the origin points rather than waiting until drugs reach the U.S. border.

Drug Interdiction Successes

• 💡 The discussion highlights a recent major bust in Suffolk County, Long Island, involving an eight-month investigation that seized a significant amount of drugs, enough fentanyl to potentially kill over 1.5 million people.
• ⚠️ This seizure underscores the scary reality of drugs that could have entered New York and the rest of the country.

Local Official Cooperation and Law Enforcement

• 💬 Balido addresses tensions between federal officers and protesters, attributing issues to local officials, including governors and mayors, who are perceived as unwilling to help enforce federal law.
• 🛡️ He stresses the need to ensure law enforcement officers are safe and calls for continued pressure on local officials, noting the National Guard's involvement is due to a lack of local support.
• 🤝 The Trump administration is seen as providing necessary assistance to federal officers when local cooperation is minimal.