WASHINGTON—Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn. Thursday issued the following statement on the agreement reached by the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice on Title 21 authority, which governs the delegation of drug investigation authority to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA):
“The security of all Americans will be strengthened by the understanding reached between the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice to increase the number of drug investigations and ensure that ICE and DEA are actively coordinating their efforts. Secretary Napolitano and Deputy Attorney General Ogden promised better coordination at a hearing I held in March, and I am pleased they have delivered on this promise. Given the enormity of the threat posed by the Mexican drug cartels, we need to ensure that all hands are on deck and that the federal government is working in concert to take down these sophisticated and dangerous smuggling networks.”
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