State Senate Republicans Kim Ward, Joe Pittman, Patrick Stefano and others passed Senate Resolution 251 calling on Gov. Josh Shapiro to deploy the Pennsylvania National Guard to the Texas border.

The text of the resolution and Ward’s March 23rd e-newsletter incorrectly assert that undocumented migrants are the source of fentanyl entering the U.S.

Fentanyl is smuggled into the country by U.S. citizens legally crossing the border, and not by asylum seekers. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports that just 0.02% of people arrested for crossing the border possessed any fentanyl whatsoever.

Nearly 90% of illicit fentanyl is seized at official border crossings. In fiscal year 2023, 19,466 pounds of fentanyl were seized at ports of entry and 2,390 pounds were seized between ports.

Of that, 157 pounds of fentanyl were seized at Texas points of entry and 53 pounds between ports representing only 0.5% of all fentanyl seized at the southern border.

Ward, Pittman and Martin criticized Shapiro’s budget as being “reckless” and “undisciplined.” But Senate Republicans are more than happy to send your tax dollars to Texas with no tangible benefit to Pennsylvanians.

Spending our tax dollars here on drug prevention, recovery and mental health programs has a significant positive effect in combating the fentanyl and opioid crisis. Sending our National Guard and tax dollars to Texas will not.

Contact Ward, Pittman and Stefano and tell them no tax dollars for Texas.

Susan Pardus

Penn Township, Westmoreland County

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