FILE: Utah Sen. Mike Lee has proposed his own short-term spending plan that would be extended out until the new Republican-controlled House takes control. Lee says the new House would be able to replace his plan. Photo credit: Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP Photo
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Senator Mike Lee is calling for sanctions on the Mexican drug cartels that killed nine women and children with ties to our state.
Senator Lee says the Treasury Department, Secretary of State and the FBI can impose aggressive sanctions against the cartels under US laws.
The Kingpin Act, which is already law, is one of the ways Lee says could be used to allow the President to block foreign narcotics traffickers from using the US financial system. The US could also block or revoke visas.
Acting homeland security secretary Chad Wolf told Fox News Tuesday morning about their efforts.
“We are going after the financing of these transnational criminal organizations. We look at the enforcement posture we have with the government of Mexico, the partnership we have there; it has increased under President Trump’s leadership,” he said.
“If you can cut off their financing, you can cut off the results of what they do,” added Wolf.
Senator Lee has also said these groups should be considered terrorist organizations.
Three women and six children were shot and killed in an ambush outside La Mora on November 4th. Many had family here in Utah.
Senator Lee was joined by Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse in calling for the sanctions. You can read the letter they wrote about it here.