Today, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on the Trump administration’s successful work to combat cartel activity in Indian Country. Subcommittee Chairman Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) issued the following statement in response:

"Because of the Biden-Harris administration’s leftist open border policies, international criminal cartels infiltrated Indian country, leading to the mass trafficking of drugs, Indigenous people, and untold violence. President Trump has stood up and has taken concrete steps to end the Biden border madness and eradicate cartels from tribal communities. The war against terrorist cartels and other criminal organizations in Indian Country and on federal lands is not over.  However, with the Biden border crisis now behind us, Congress can work towards eradicating cartels and allowing tribal communities to thrive."

Background

The committee has repeatedly emphasized that international criminal cartels, like the Sinaloa and the Jalisco New Generation cartels, target tribal communities across the country to expand their criminal enterprises. Today’s hearing is a continuation of the committee’s oversight on this issue and the disastrous effects of the Biden border crisis. It builds upon the hearings the committee conducted in April and June 2024.

Since January 2025, Congressional Republicans have worked with President Trump and his administration to secure the border. Through actions like EO 14157, “Designating Cartels and Other Organizations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists,” and the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Republican efforts to secure America’s southern border are creating tangible results. For example, in May 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection released zero illegal aliens into the United States, as compared to the Biden administration releasing 62,000 into the country in May 2024.

The strong border enforcement of the Trump administration has caused illegal migrant crossings to drop by 99.99 percent, encounters with getaways to decrease by 95 percent, and daily border encounters to decline by 93 percent, compared to the Biden administration.

Today's hearing provided members with an opportunity to learn more about the ongoing law enforcement work of both the Trump administration and tribal stakeholders. The hearing also focused on efforts to keep all Americans safe, particularly those living in Indian country, and the dangers of transnational criminal cartels. Witnesses from tribal communities testified about the threats their communities face and how they are collaborating with the Trump administration to protect public safety and enhance the lives of tribal nations and communities nationwide.