WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) is pushing new legislation to stop human and drug traffickers from receiving government-funded benefits while awaiting trial. Senator Blackburn, along with Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) discussed the humanitarian consequences of what some Republicans are calling "Biden’s open border agenda" during a press conference on Wednesday.

Senator Blackburn stated: “During our trip, we were honored to be accompanied by a former Mexican Congresswoman and also by a human trafficking survivor. We heard how cartels kidnap young women and girls to be exploited for sex and labor. Karla, who is truly one of the bravest women I have met and a survivor of human trafficking and sex trafficking, was raped thousands of times, from the time she was 12 until she escaped when she was 16.”

“Last year alone, law enforcement seized over 14,000 pounds of fentanyl at the border. That’s enough to kill over 3.3 billion people. President Biden’s open border policies have emboldened the cartels and caused human trafficking to grow from a half billion dollar a year industry in 2018 to a $13 billion industry. Criminal cartels earning up to $14 million each and every day.” 

Blackburn reported that her legislation will stop “Cartel-Controlled Traffickers” from enjoying taxpayer dollars. She said, “After we got back [to Washington], I was determined to do something to protect the victims. Senator Britt, Hyde-Smith and I are introducing the Stop Taxpayer Funding of Traffickers Act that would ensure taxpayer funds are not forced to fund the lifestyles of offenders who are making our country more dangerous. The bill prohibits anyone charged with drug or human trafficking at our international borders or in our territorial waters from receiving federal government benefits.”