(The Center Square)—California residents are suffering from Biden–Harris administration “open border” policies and California’s sanctuary state law, California sheriffs argue.
At a recent U.S. House Judiciary Committee hearing on victim perspectives, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said, “when it comes to open borders and the impact of illegal immigration in California, I have a front row seat to the havoc those can wreak.”
Boudreaux is among many sheriffs in the state who don’t support Harris for president, he’s said after their image was used in one of her campaign ads.
He then described cases in the Central Valley related to the border crisis. The region is known as the agricultural heart of California and referred to as the “major breadbasket of the world” because they produce so much food, he said. The region has also had a long history with illegal immigration because an estimated 80% of agricultural workers are in the country illegally, he said. With illegal immigration comes crime, and that has stretched thin law enforcement resources, he said.
“When it comes to our open border, the Central Valley is at the foot of the mountain staring down an avalanche. We are confronting a barrage of violent criminals, events, and drugs flow from the border into our community. The free flow of illicit and deadly drugs, principally fentanyl, have turned the corridors of Highway 99 and Interstate 5 into two highways of death that unleash unspeakable carnage.”
He described how deputies and canines have been killed by criminal illegal foreign nationals who’ve been deported multiple times after committing multiple crimes in other states. He also described multiple agency operations in several counties targeting drug trafficking operations that uncovered how Tulare County has become a hub for the Sinaloa Cartel. Cartel member suspects they interviewed told them that under the Biden-Harris administration “it is easier now in the last three years than in the history of the drug organization to move illegal drugs across the border into the United States.”
He also described arrests of illegal foreign nationals operating out of Washington state who were allegedly transporting fentanyl for the Mexican cartel “all over the southern border up to Washington.” Arrested and detained on multiple charges, they were let out of jail the next day and never to be found.
“Their release was a slap in the face to the criminal justice system and a direct repercussion of failed immigration policies and an open border,” he said. California’s sanctuary law, SB54, prohibits law enforcement from working with U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement (ICE). As a result, “there are no ramifications for their actions. California has basically become an open territory for the cartel to do whatever it wants.”
Mexican cartels “are infiltrating our communities, unleashing incredible violence and taking the lives of innocent people,” he continued, describing an execution style murder of a family, including a 16-year-old mother and her 10-month-old baby, The Center Square reported on last year.
Biden-Harris policies have “caused a major crisis in California and in America. We are seeing murders, marijuana grows, drug and human trafficking, financial scams, agricultural crimes, robberies and so much more. The rest of the world is taking advantage of the current policies concerning our border, recognizing the administration has removed the foundation of legal immigration. Allowing an unsecured border has encouraged the world to violate immigration laws resulting,” he said. The result is that local law enforcement is overwhelmed and soon won’t be able “to keep and maintain peace in our communities.”
At another Judiciary Committee hearing on California perspectives, Riverside County Undersheriff Don Sharp said his county “has felt the devastating effect of a weak border sanctioned by this administration.”
Sharp, who spent over 10 years in narcotics enforcement, said “the catastrophic impact cartels have on our communities is, and has always been, abundantly apparent. Our communities are facing an unbelievable flow of fentanyl, and fentanyl laced drugs; emergency response personnel are responding to dozens of overdoses and overdose fatalities daily.”
“The flood of deadly fentanyl to our streets is overwhelming and only made possible by complete border security failures under the current administration,” he said. Because Border Patrol agents are overwhelmed processing illegal foreign nationals into the country instead of patrolling for bad actors in the field, “the border is wide open.” This results in “larger drug and human smuggling loads. The risk of detection and loss of illicit contraband becomes less, and the shrinking risk is easily worth the reward for cartels and criminals.”
By contrast, when border security is strong and robust, he said, they see “smaller loads and more fearful cartels, as they should be when breaking our laws and harming society.”
The Riverside County Sheriff’s narcotic investigation unit alone seized a record 359 pounds of fentanyl and over 2.3 million fentanyl pills in 2023, he said, enough to kill the entire county’s population. This excludes the amount of fentanyl other agencies have seized.
“This is a staggering statistic of poison seized. What did we miss? We know we missed plenty. We wish the current administration understood what the full effect of their actions has created.”
He blamed both California politicians and the administration for skyrocketing border crime. “I am sick of battling the deeply flawed changes being made by them,” he said. “Our state and nation matter and our citizens are afraid of the consequences of an open border. The unknown number of terrorists and bad actors entering unchecked is eye opening and terrifying. It puts our county and communities in jeopardy.”
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
