Letters

Nick LaLota cynically ignored the fentanyl epidemic and its deadly consequences in Suffolk County by rejecting the bipartisan immigration bill and its robust fentanyl provisions. Instead, he kissed Donald Trump’s ring and rejected the bill and all its benefits when he could have helped to save the lives of young people in Suffolk County. What did Nick’s decision mean for Suffolk? More deaths from fentanyl.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Justice, in 2023, nearly 108,000 people died from drug overdoses, making it a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. The increase in overdose deaths has been driven in large part by fentanyl.

Fentanyl is inexpensive and easy to manufacture. Fentanyl ingredients exported from China to Mexico and other drug transportation countries are then mixed, easily hidden and shipped to the United States, creating our current nightmare of death and heartache for families.

The bill Nick so casually cast aside would have increased the border security budget by $20 billion and helped stop fentanyl from coming into our country. It would have increased technology to detect the drug, increased the number of border agents and improved data analysis so border agents could find it. The bill also would have given the president the authority to impose sanctions on governments and people involved in trafficking fentanyl deadly drugs.

Many fentanyl deaths are not of habitual drug users but rather deaths of young people who purchased a drug like cocaine not knowing it was laced with fentanyl. Habitual drug users know the risks and may even carry naloxone, the drug needed to reverse the deadly effects of the fentanyl. Innocents are frequently more likely to die of fentanyl.

Nick voted against a bill that could have saved lives. He ignored the dangers of fentanyl and continues to harp on immigration as a campaign issue, as if his decision to reject the bill had no consequences. Meanwhile, 22 young people between 14 and 20 die every week because of fentanyl.

Nick broke faith with the people of Suffolk and our country by allowing more young people to remain at risk of fentanyl death. He follows his master, Donald Trump, instead of taking care of Suffolk families. More needs to be done, Nick, not less.

John Avlon is a man who always does his best to fix problems. John will put his considerable skills to work so fentanyl will not remain the scourge it now is. He will protect our families and will vote yes on the bipartisan Immigration bill.

I’m voting for John Avlon, and you should, too.

Jackie Hilly

Sag Harbor

Hilly is secretary of the Southampton Town Democratic Committee — Ed.