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House Republicans probe DEA's fentanyl policing tactic
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- The House Oversight Committee, led by Rep. James Comer, is investigating the DEA's controversial tactic of monitoring but not seizing large fentanyl shipments, which critics say allowed deadly drugs to flood U.S. streets.
- DEA whistleblowers and New Mexico officials allege agents were ordered to stand down on seizing fentanyl, potentially violating Justice Department rules and contributing to the opioid crisis.
- The investigation follows an AP report revealing that major fentanyl shipments were allowed through in New Mexico between 2023 and 2025 as federal authorities prioritized building larger cases.
- Comer criticized the Biden administration for relaxing fentanyl risk mitigation protocols established under Trump, which previously mandated seizing fentanyl shipments promptly.
- The Justice Department's inspector general has launched a nationwide review of these tactics, while DEA leadership defends the long-term investigative approach amid the ongoing fentanyl epidemic.
