ATLANTA, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr is leading a 16-state coalition in support of President Donald Trump’s recent actions to combat the dangerous drug cartels that are invading our country. This illegal drug invasion is fueling violent crime, putting law enforcement and communities at risk, and crippling the public health system, and the attorneys general firmly believe that the President is acting within his Constitutional authority as Commander in Chief to protect the U.S. and its citizens. The attorneys general are also urging Congress to take action on this issue.

“If I told you that another country was going to invade the United States and kill enough people to fill Sanford Stadium every year, we’d go to war. That’s what’s happening, and we commend President Trump for taking action to protect American families,” said Carr. “No resource should be spared in the fight to save lives. That’s why we have declared war on fentanyl, and it’s why we’ll continue to work with our federal partners to combat the dangerous drug cartels that are threatening our communities.”

In a letter sent to President Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, the attorneys general note that in FY 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized nearly 22,000 lbs. of cartel-smuggled fentanyl crossing into the U.S., enough to kill the entire American population fourteen times over. In fact, the number of Americans who have died from fentanyl is now comparable to the total U.S. casualties in World War II.

Drug trafficking remains rampant in gang activity, human trafficking, and organized retail crime, and it has significantly increased the workload for law enforcement across the nation. This influx of illegal drugs has also escalated the physical and mental health crisis, including addiction, overdose, and the spread of infectious diseases.

The attorneys general offer their continued support to the President in his efforts to protect our country and our states.

Led by Georgia, this 16-state coalition includes the attorneys general of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.

Find a copy of the letter Download this pdf file. here .

Previous Actions Combating the Fentanyl Crisis

Since taking office in 2016, Attorney General Chris Carr has fought to combat the opioid and fentanyl crisis and the widespread damage it has caused.

By joining national settlements with more than 20 opioid manufacturers, distributors and retail pharmacies, Carr has secured more than one billion dollars for our state and local governments to expand access to critical treatment, prevention, and recovery services. Many of the funds received through the settlements will be administered through the Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust, which has already awarded more than $70 million to nearly 130 projects across the state.

In 2017, Carr created the Statewide Opioid Task Force to provide an infrastructure of communication between the public, private and non-profit sectors, so we can ensure we have strong and effective tools to address this critical issue that is plaguing every one of our communities. Today, the Statewide Opioid Task Force includes more than 300 partners across all areas of expertise who are working together to save lives.

In 2023, Carr’s Gang Prosecution Unit recovered 15 lbs. of fentanyl in Augusta – enough to kill 3.5 million Georgians – following a multi-agency operation, which also resulted in a 333-count indictment charging 30 suspected gang members.

In February 2025, Carr launched Operation “Hold the Line,” a multi-agency effort targeting drug cartels and violent gangs that are engaged in human trafficking, organized retail crime, weapons smuggling, and fentanyl and drug trafficking in Georgia. 

In July 2025, Carr joined President Trump and other partners at the White House for the signing of the HALT Fentanyl Act, legislation that classifies fentanyl analogues as Schedule I drugs and saves American lives. Carr previously wrote to the U.S. Senate urging leaders to pass this bill in February 2025.