Gov. Kristi Noem is auditioning to be Donald Trump’s running mate, which is why she claimed that South Dakota is on the frontline of the southern border.
Noem said, “The vast majority of the drugs in the Midwest are coming right through South Dakota on these reservations that I can’t do anything about. The people of South Dakota live with being on the mess every single day because the cartels are set up in South Dakota too.
The border has been a big talking point for South Dakota Republicans, but what they are saying is not true. As I wrote, when Ron DeSantis announced his plan to shoot migrants carrying backpacks as they come across the Southern border, 84% of the Fentanyl that comes into the United States arrives through ports of entry on trucks carried in by US citizens or tourists.
Almost 90% of the Fentanyl is not brought over the southern border by migrants.
Video:
Kristi Noem at the southern border: “The people of South Dakota live on the frontline of this mess every single day.” pic.twitter.com/SNBgkplJw5
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 21, 2023
Noem is thought to be on Trump’s shortlist for running mates in 2024 because the court determined rapist has decided that he needs a woman on the ticket.
South Dakota isn’t anywhere near the southern border, so they aren’t on the frontline of anything geographically. Opioids are a problem, but Republicans have decided to play into racist immigrant demonization rather than devise a sound policy to deal with the crisis.