Big Sky Times

Attorney General Austin Knudsen, along with a coalition of 25 attorneys general, has requested the Trump Administration to address a loophole that facilitates the entry of fentanyl into the United States. They have sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Pete Flores. The letter emphasizes the need for stricter scrutiny of the CBP import pilot program known as Entry Type 86. This program currently allows small packages to enter the country with minimal customs screening, potentially being abused by drug cartels to bring in substances like fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine.

The coalition stated, "As attorneys general responsible for protecting the safety of our constituents, we are proud to partner with President Trump and this Administration to stop the flow of illicit deadly drugs into our country and our communities. Your focused efforts to secure the southern border are a critical step in this work. Unfortunately, however, traffickers and our foreign adversaries like China are constantly finding new ways to bring fentanyl and other poisons into our neighborhoods."

The number of packages processed under Entry Type 86 has risen significantly from 153 million in 2015 to over 1.2 billion by 2024, prompting concerns about the potential influx of fentanyl. Although fentanyl seizures in Montana have decreased, other dangerous drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin continue to enter the state at alarming rates. Fentanyl seizures, however, have increased by 354 percent since 2021.

Furthermore, some businesses exploit the Entry Type 86 program to bypass regulations and avoid paying duties, posing additional security and trade challenges.

This appeal is supported by attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.