WASHINGTON – Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, praised an agreement signed today that would give more counternarcotics authority to immigration agents to help reduce illegal drugs entering American communities.

In response to the signing of this Interagency Cooperation Agreement that increases cooperation and information sharing between the Department of Health And Human Services’ Immigration Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) and the Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Sen. Carper said:

"Turf battles and needless red tape are a drag on the Federal government’s efficient operation in a number of areas. In recent weeks – as the drug-related violence along our southern border has escalated – we have learned that it has hampered federal law enforcement agencies’ counter-narcotics efforts.

“This groundbreaking agreement between ICE and DEA will bolster our drug-fighting capabilities, encourage information sharing and grant more authority to ICE agents to help improve security along the Mexican border.”