Headed by Reps. Pete Sessions (R-TX), Jared Golden (D-ME), David Valadao (R-CA) and Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Angus King (I-ME), the lawmakers have written a letter to Garland voicing their concerns.
"Chinese nationals – including those with potential ties to the Chinese Communist Party –are reportedly operating thousands of illicit marijuana farms across the country. The thousands of illicit Chinese marijuana-growing operations pose a direct threat to public safety, human rights, national security and the addiction crisis gripping our nation," the lawmakers wrote. (Related: CCP TAKEOVER: Real estate mogul sold over 130,000 acres of Texas farmland to a Chinese billionaire and former PLA captain.)
According to the legislators, Chinese marijuana-growing operations have been found in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon and Washington.
"In some cases, the grow operators were also engaged in human trafficking, forced labor, drug trafficking and violent crime. These farms are most commonly in states with legal marijuana programs where illicit growers try to disguise their operations in communities where law-abiding Americans live and work," the letter added.
The letter mentioned a 2023 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memo, which stated that 270 suspected China-connected illegal marijuana growing operations in Maine alone were producing more than $4.3 billion in revenue.
Just in the state of Oklahoma, investigators have uncovered over 2,000 marijuana farmers who "are linked to China." These farmers are engaged in other illicit activities, including human and sex trafficking, ketamine trafficking, illegal gambling operations and international money laundering.
"Experts believe there is substantial evidence implicating the CCP in directly supporting illicit marijuana grow operations across the United States. Whether located in retrofitted residential homes or on farmland, state regulatory and law enforcement entities appear unable to address these potentially CCP-supported grow operations despite their significant threat to local communities across the country," the lawmakers wrote.
Back in September, media outlets reported that one group of Chinese illegal immigrants filed a lawsuit claiming they were enticed to come to northern New Mexico under pretenses, after which they were then forced to work 14 hours a day on an illegal marijuana farm.
"Allowing illicit marijuana farms tied to the CCP is a continued threat to national security, public safety and human rights," the lawmakers concluded.
The lawmakers wanted Garland to answer several questions before Feb. 23, including the number of CCP-related marijuana farms in America, and whether state legalization of marijuana has "affected the proliferation of CCP-affiliated marijuana farms."
"How many CCP-affiliated marijuana farms have obtained state-issued licenses to grow marijuana, either directly or through a shell company?" the legislators asked in the letter.
Chinese nationals who are either legal residents of America or have asylum claims that prevent them from being deported from the country are often engaged in the grow operations, a federal law enforcement source revealed.
Follow CommunistChina.news for more stories about illicit CCP operations within the United States.
Watch the video below about the China land grab near a U.S. Air Force base in California.
This video is from the REAL TALK & REAL MUSIC wit ROD channel on Brighteon.com.
Foreign entities now own 40 MILLION ACRES of U.S. agricultural land.
Sources include: