For Immediate Release:
April 1, 2025
For press inquiries only, contact:
Amanda Priest (334) 322-5694
William Califf (334) 604-3230
(Montgomery, Ala.) – Attorney General Steve Marshall joined a coalition of 25 state attorneys general asking the Trump Administration to close a loophole used by adversaries and drug traffickers to flood deadly fentanyl into the United States. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem and Acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Pete Flores, the attorneys general call for greater scrutiny of an import pilot program called Entry Type 86, which allows small packages to enter the U.S. with minimal customs screening.
In just a 10-year period, imports under the Entry Type 86 program skyrocketed from 153 million packages in 2015 to over 1.2 billion in 2024. Any surge of this magnitude requires further study because of serious concerns about the amount of fentanyl and other deadly drugs that could be coming into the country. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid narcotic up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. As little as two milligrams of fentanyl – smaller than the tip of a pencil – can be lethal.
In addition, some shippers use the Entry Type 86 program to dodge regulations and avoid paying required duties, raising concerns about security risks, illegal trade and weaknesses in the supply chain.
“Fentanyl is devastating communities across Alabama and the nation, and we must take decisive action to shut down every avenue that allows this deadly drug to enter our country. Loopholes like Entry Type 86 pose a serious threat to public safety, making it easier for traffickers to smuggle fentanyl and other dangerous substances across the border,” Attorney General Marshall stated. “I am confident that the Trump Administration will take immediate steps to close this gap and strengthen border security to protect American lives.”
Read the letter here.
Alabama joined the Kentucky-led letter alongside attorneys general from Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
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