Steve Cortes, Founder of the League of American Workers, has attributed the spread of cartel violence in the United States to Democratic policies. This statement was made on the social media platform X.
“Reckless Dems have unleashed Cartel violence across America,” said Cortes, Founder of League of American Workers.
According to The Washington Post, under President Biden’s administration, Arizona remains a significant corridor for cartel activity, particularly by the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG. These cartels exploit Arizona’s desert terrain and border infrastructure gaps. The report from March 2025 indicates that cartels are increasingly using open floodgates and remote routes to traffic drugs and migrants. Despite Mexico deploying 10,000 troops to curb fentanyl flows, the impact was reportedly limited due to deeply rooted cross-border smuggling networks.
In fiscal year 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported seizing over 19,600 pounds of fentanyl nationwide. Arizona’s Nogales port emerged as a major interdiction point. According to CBP’s “Frontline Against Fentanyl” report, agents seized more than 3 million fentanyl pills, 323 pounds of methamphetamine, and nearly 80,000 rounds of ammunition in May 2024 alone. These seizures underscore Arizona’s central role in cartel-linked drug trafficking operations.
Arizona has experienced persistent levels of human trafficking from 2020 to 2024, driven by both domestic and transnational criminal networks. The National Human Trafficking Hotline reported 608 cases in 2020; by 2024, the state identified 300 cases involving 671 victims. This data reflects consistent patterns of exploitation in labor and sex trafficking despite broader law enforcement efforts.
Cortes is a conservative strategist and political commentator known for his roles in Donald Trump’s campaigns in both 2016 and 2020 and as an advisor to a pro-DeSantis Political Action Committee (PAC). As detailed by Key Speakers Bureau, he previously worked in financial trading and media at CNBC, CNN, and Fox News. He now leads the League of American Workers, promoting a populist economic agenda centered on national sovereignty and labor interests.
