POLL: Voters are not Big Fans of Donald Trump’s “Gold Card” Visa

Jose Nino
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POLL: Voters are not Big Fans of Donald Trump’s “Gold Card” Visa

(José Niño, Headline USA) President Donald Trump’s proposal to create a visa program for foreigners who invest $5 million into the United States economy is not popular among voters. 

According to a Rasmussen poll, 41% of likely United States voters back Trump’s “gold card” visa proposal, which includes 22% who strongly approve of this measure. By contrast, 47% of voters are against this proposal, which includes 33% who strongly disapprove. An additional 13% are unsure.

Trump announced the proposal earlier this month, claiming it would attract “wealthy … successful” foreigners who would be “paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people” as a way to overhaul the country’s immigration system and make it attractive to more high-value immigrants.

On a partisan basis, 63% of Republican voters are in favor of Trump’s “gold card” plan, while 22% of Democratic voters and 38% of independent voters support such a plan. By contrast,  52% of Democrat voters strongly disapprove of the “gold card” visa concept, in addition to 13% of Republican voters and 32% of independent voters.

Sixty-two percent of Democrats voters, 25% of Republican voters and 41% of independent voters believe poor immigrants to put food on the table are better for America. Forty-nine percent of Republican voters, 20% of Democrat voters, and 29% of independent voters believe rich immigrants who invest in the country are better for the country.

As far as racial opinions are concerned, 42% of white voters, 44% of Hispanic voters, and 45% of black voters and other non-white minorities indicated that poor immigrants who work for a living are better for the United States. 

With respect to income categories, voters making between $50,000 and $100,000 annually are the most likely to believe poor immigrants who work for a living are better for the country. Individuals making between $100,000 and $200,000 annually are the most likely to support Trump’s “gold card” visa program. 

José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino

Report: $128M in Federal Grants Spent on Gender Ideology

Headline USA Editor
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Report: $128M in Federal Grants Spent on Gender Ideology

(Bethany Blankley, The Center Square) More than $128 million of federal taxpayer money was spent on at least 341 grants to fund gender ideology initiatives under the Biden administration, according to an analysis of federal data by the American Principles Project.

In, “Funding Insanity: Federal Spending on Gender Ideology under Biden-Harris,” APP says it “found how the federal government has been spending hundreds of millions of YOUR MONEY on the Gender Industrial Complex!”

APP says it identified the grants by searching the USA Spending database. The data, which is available for free, is categorized by federal agency; notable grants are highlighted.

The U.S. Health and Human Services Department awarded the greatest amount of funding totaling nearly $84 million through 60 grants.

The Department of State awarded the greatest number of grants, 209, totaling more than $14 million, according to the data.

Other agencies awarding taxpayer-funded gender ideology grants include:

  • U.S. Agency for International Development, nearly $18 million through 8 grants;
  • National Endowment for the Humanities, more than $2.6 million through 20 grants;
  • Department of Justice, $1.9 million through three grants;
  • Institute of Museum and Library Services, $1.87 million through 13 grants;
  • Department of Education, $1.67 million through two grants;
  • Department of Agriculture, $1.6 million through five grants;
  • Department of the Interior, more than 1,000,000 awarded through two grants;
  • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, more than $548,000 through 4 grants;
  • Inter-American Foundation, more than $490,000 through two grants;
  • National Endowment for the Arts, $262,000 through 13 grants.

APP also identified 63 federal agency contracts totaling more than $46 million that promote gender ideology. They include total obligated amounts and the number of contracts per agency.

The majority, $31 million, was awarded through USAID. The next greatest amount of $4.4 million was awarded through the Department of Defense.

The Trump administration has taken several approaches to gut USAID, which has been met with litigation. The Department of Defense and other agencies are also under pressure to cut funding and reduce redundancies.

Notable grants include:

  • $3.9 million to Key Populations Consortium Uganda for promoting “the safety, agency, well-being and the livelihoods of LGBTQI+ in Uganda;”
  • $3.5 million to Outright International for “the Alliance for Global Equality and its mission to promote LGBTQI+ people in priority countries around the world;”
  • $2.4 million to the International Rescue Committee for “inclusive consideration of sexual orientation, gender identity, and sexual characteristics in humanitarian assistance;”
  • $1.9 million to the American Bar Association to “shield the LGBTQI+ population in the Western Balkans;”
  • $1.4 million for “economic empowerment of and opportunity for LGBTQI+ people in Serbia;”
  • $1.49 million to Equality for All Foundation, Jamaica to “Strengthen community support structures to upscale LGBT rights advocacy;”
  • More than $1 million to Bandhu Social Welfare Society to support gender diverse people in Bangladesh.

One of the grants identified by APP, which has since been cancelled, was $600,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to Southern University Agricultural & Mechanical College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to study menstruation and menopause, including in biological men.

According to a description of the grant summary, funding would support research, extension, and teaching to address “growing concerns and issues surrounding menstruation, including the potential health risks posed to users of synthetic feminine hygiene products (FHP);” advancing research in the development of FHP that use natural materials and providing menstrual hygiene management; producing sustainable feminine hygiene sanitary products using natural fibers; providing a local fiber processing center for fiber growers in Louisiana, among others.

It states that menstruation begins in girls at roughly age 12 and ends with menopause at roughly age 51. “A woman will have a monthly menstrual cycle for about 40 years of her life averaging to about 450 periods over the course of her lifetime,” but adds: “It is also important to recognize that transgender men and people with masculine gender identities, intersex and non-binary persons may also menstruate.”

All federal funding was allocated to state agencies through the approval of Congress when it voted to pass continuing resolutions to fund the federal government and approved agency budgets.

Noem Taps New ICE Leaders and Identifies Recent Leakers

Headline USA Editor
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Noem Taps New ICE Leaders and Identifies Recent Leakers

(Headline USA) Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Sunday announced new leadership at the agency tasked with immigration enforcement as she also pledged to step up lie detector tests on employees to identify those who may be leaking information about operations to the media.

“The authorities that I have under the Department of Homeland Security are broad and extensive and I plan to use every single one of them to make sure that we’re following the law, that we are following the procedures in place to keep people safe and that we’re making sure we’re following through on what President Trump has promised,” Noem told CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

While these polygraph exams are typically not admissible in court proceedings, they are frequently used by federal law enforcement agencies and for national security clearances.

“The Department of Homeland Security is a national security agency,” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “We can, should, and will polygraph personnel.”

White House officials have previously expressed frustration with the pace of deportations, blaming it in part on recent leaks revealing cities where authorities planned to conduct operations.

Noem announcement of two new leadership appointments within the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement comes less than two months into the Trump administration and demonstrates the importance that the administration places on carrying out the president’s deportation agenda.

Todd Lyons, the former assistant director of field operations for the agency’s enforcement arm, will serve as acting ICE director. Madison Sheahan, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Noem’s former aide when she was governor of South Dakota, has been tapped to be the agency’s deputy director.

The leadership changes come after ICE’s acting director was reassigned on Feb. 21. Two other top immigration enforcement officials were reassigned Feb. 11. Those staffing changes came amid frustrations in the Trump administration about the pace of immigration arrests.

Noem also announced on Friday that the agency has identified and planned to prosecute two “leakers of information.”

On Sunday, she said these two people “were leaking our enforcement operations that we had planned and were going to conduct in several cities and exposed vulnerabilities.” She said they could face up to 10 years in federal prison.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

EXCLUSIVE: Butler DA Conducting ‘Due Diligence’ into Complaint Linking Josh Shapiro to Trump Assassination Attempt

Ken Silva
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EXCLUSIVE: Butler DA Conducting ‘Due Diligence’ into Complaint Linking Josh Shapiro to Trump Assassination Attempt

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Last month, a rumor linking Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to the July 13 assassination attempt against Donald Trump went viral online—with the likes of Infowars host Alex Jones, former CIA operator Shawn Ryan and other high-profile pundits promoting it.

To date, the source of that rumor, Hadassah Feinberg, has provided zero evidence to substantiate her claim—which alleges, among other things, that the conspiracy between Shapiro and President Joe Biden unfolded at a Denim Coffee shop in early July.

Feinberg has also made numerous claims of varying degrees of plausibility about her background—including that she’s a U.S.-Israeli dual citizen who worked on counterterrorism at a Jerusalem bus station in 2010, that she was “preliminarily accepted for employment with the FBI,” and that she is a “federal whistleblower” who was targeted in 2023 for exposing Shapiro’s corruption.

The only evidence she’s publicly provided about her acceptance into the FBI is a screenshot of an email response to an online application. In court documents, meanwhile, she’s talked about suffering from PTSD due to the attacks on her—which she says has hurt her career as a “teacher, therapist, and mandated reporter.”

Nevertheless, Butler District Attorney Richard Goldinger has taken steps to investigate her latest complaint against Shapiro. Pennsylvania law allows private citizens to file a criminal complaint against another person. Among other allegations, Feinberg said in her Feb. 7 complaint that Shapiro received $500,000 as an “assassination reward.”

Goldinger initially declined to take action last August in response to a complaint Feinberg submitted around that time. But after she submitted another one on Feb. 7, Goldinger had a detective reach out to her, according to an email Feinberg sent to Headline USA on Wednesday.

“The Butler County District Attorney’s Office is in receipt of your Private Criminal Complaint, dated February 7, 2025. I have been assigned to investigate the allegations. Kindly respond to this email, at your earliest convenience, to arrange for an in-person interview,” stated a purported email from Detective William Mayhugh to Feinberg.

In response to Mayhugh, Feinberg said she couldn’t meet in person.

“I am unable to meet in person due to safety concerns, per recommendation by the Florida Sherrif [sic] Department. My address is redacted through the Clerk of Court. I am unable to travel to Pennsylvania,” she said in an email, claiming to be in touch with federal agents in Florida.

“I am happy to setup a meeting with you by phone or virtual.”

After receiving Feinberg’s email—she copied in this reporter in her response to Mayhugh—Headline USA contacted Goldinger to confirm its authenticity. Goldinger responded by saying he’s conducting “due diligence” into Feinberg’s complaint.

“We won’t comment other than to say we are doing our due diligence as required by law,” he said.

Goldinger previously explained to this publication that he frequently receives bogus criminal complaints.

“Generally, when I receive one, I have a county detective conduct some initial investigation to determine if there is any merit.  I am always of the opinion that if the police do not file charges, or if the individual filing the private criminal complaint has not reached out to the police, that the allegations are questionable, at best,” he said last month.

Feinberg is representing herself in several lawsuits alleging a wide-ranging conspiracy against her and her four children. One complaint, which was dismissed last October because she didn’t pay her filing fee, accused Shapiro of failing his duties as governor “to protect and intervene with Plaintiff and her four minor children who were being harassed … between October 18, 2023, through June 4, 2024.”

Feinberg also said she has an open RICO lawsuit at the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court.

Last month, this reporter contacted Feinberg, asking what evidence she had. Feinberg declined to provide any evidence, saying that “a lot of the information must remain confidential so it does not compromise the lawsuit.”

After Headline USA published a Feb. 10 article about Feinberg not having any evidence to support her conspiracy theory, she threatened to add this reporter to her RICO lawsuit—accusing this publication of reporting a “misleading and false narrative.”

“Please be advised that you will be named a Defendant on the active RICO lawsuit on March 14, 2025,” she said in a Feb. 22 email. “Since I already have a rico lawsuit against Josh Shapiro, I figured it would be appropriate to bring you in to the same lawsuit. I’ll be knocking out two birds with one stone.”

Feinberg also posted about the matter on her Twitter/X account.

Headline USA stands by its reporting.

Meanwhile, a U.S. judge has threatened Feinberg with sanctions if she doesn’t stop emailing the  Court of Clerk about matters “unrelated to the purpose of resolving administrative concerns.”

“IT IS ORDERED that Feinberg shall immediately stop contacting the Clerk of Court via email about anything other than administrative concerns such as questions about filing fees or the mechanics of submitting filings. If Feinberg wishes to contact the court for any other reason, she may file on the docket whatever motion is appropriate,” Susan E. Schwab said in a Feb. 25 order to Feinberg.

“Failure to comply with a court order, such as this order, may lead to sanctions.”

Ken Silva is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.

Secret Service Shoots Man After Trump Demands Info on Would-Be Assassins

Luis Cornelio
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Secret Service Shoots Man After Trump Demands Info on Would-Be Assassins

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The Secret Service shot an adult male outside the White House after he brandished a weapon at agents on Sunday. President Donald Trump was at Mar-a-Lago at the time of the incident.

The USSS said it had received a tip from local police on Saturday about a “suicidal individual” traveling from Indiana to Washington, D.C.

Agents located the individual’s vehicle parked near 17th and F Streets—both adjacent to the White House. They then approached an individual nearby who matched the suspect’s description.

“As officers approached, the individual brandished a firearm and an armed confrontation ensued, during which shots were fired by our personnel,” the USSS said in a statement.

The unnamed man, whose condition remains unknown, was taken to a hospital. No USSS agents were injured in the incident.

It is unclear whether the suspect had intended to target anyone specific, including Trump officials. He may face federal charges pending further investigation.

The shooting comes just a month after Trump demanded that federal investigators share information about two failed assassination attempts against him.

“No more excuses,” Trump said, according to the New York Post. “No more holding back because of Biden… I’m entitled to know. And they held it back long enough.” He ordered the Secret Service to share “every bit of information” about the cases.

In response, the Secret Service pledged to provide Trump with all available information about the incidents “without exception.”

Trump narrowly escaped an attempt on his life on July 13, 2024, when Thomas Matthew Crooks fired several shots at him during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Though Crooks’s bullets grazed Trump’s right ear, they fatally wounded Corey Comperatore, a fire chief, who shielded his family from the gunfire.

In September 2024, Ryan Routh attempted to kill Trump outside the Trump International Golf Course in Florida. Routh is now in federal custody, facing attempted murder charges.

The White House incident comes as conservatives continue to decry leftist activists harassing Vice President JD Vance and his family, including his three young children. In February, the USSS rushed the Vance family to an undisclosed location after rioters tried to ambush his motorcade in Vermont.

Throughout the 2024 presidential race, Democrats repeatedly labeled Trump and Vance as existential threats to democracy, claiming they must be stopped. Critics argue these comments have fueled violence against the Republican leaders.

Trump Slams Zelenskyy for Exploiting US Tax Dollars Like ‘Candy from a Baby’

Luis Cornelio
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Trump Slams Zelenskyy for Exploiting US Tax Dollars Like ‘Candy from a Baby’

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) President Donald Trump doubled down on his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of snatching money from the U.S. like candy from a baby. 

Trump made these comments during a tell-all interview on Fox News’s Sunday Morning Futures with host Maria Bartiromo—just days after he scolded Zelenskyy during an Oval Office meeting.  

“It was like taking candy from a baby, what he did,” Trump said, referring to Zelenskyy. “He’s a smart guy. And he’s a tough guy. And he took money out of this country under Biden like candy from a baby. It was so easy. With that same attitude.” 

Trump added, “I just don’t think he’s grateful. We gave him, in my opinion, $350 billion. Europe is in for $100 billion.” He scolded Zelenskyy for falsely claiming Ukraine has been in the war alone, reminding Fox viewers that the U.S. has supplied Ukraine with “javelins” to fight the war. 

On Feb. 28, Trump kicked Zelenskyy out of the White House after the foreign leader attempted, albeit unsuccessfully, to challenge Vice President JD Vance about his past comments on the war between Russia and Ukraine. 

During the latter part of the meeting, Zelenskyy rolled his eyes, repeatedly interrupted Trump and Vance, and even warned that Americans would eventually feel the war’s wrath. Such comments were remarkable—never before had any foreign leader whose entire country relies on taxpayer assistance disrespected the presidency so blatantly. 

After the chaotic meeting, Trump ordered Zelenskyy to leave the White House and return only when he was ready to negotiate a peace deal with Russia. 

Pro-Ukraine Mob Again Harasses Vance and His 3-Year-Old

Luis Cornelio
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Pro-Ukraine Mob Again Harasses Vance and His 3-Year-Old

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) A group of pro-Ukrainian demonstrators chased Vice President JD Vance while he was walking with his three-year-old daughter on Saturday—just days after Secret Service transported him and his family to an undisclosed location amid violent protests in Vermont. 

Vance denounced the potentially dangerous incident in an X post, noting that his daughter had become frightened by the protesters’ presence. 

“Today while walking my 3 year old daughter a group of ‘Slava Ukraini’ protesters followed us around and shouted as my daughter grew increasingly anxious and scared,” Vance wrote on X. 

“I decided to speak with the protesters in the hopes that I could trade a few minutes of conversation for them leaving my toddler alone,” he added. Nearly all the protesters complied. 

Vance described the exchange as “mostly respectful” but warned that “if you’re chasing a 3-year-old as part of a political protest, you’re a shit person.”

A video of the exchange has gone viral, showing loud individuals repeatedly disrupting Vance’s remarks. Secret Service agents were alongside Vance.

His post—which has garnered more than 40 million views—came less than two weeks after Secret Service evacuated him and his family to an undisclosed location after pro-Ukrianian demonstrators threatened him while heading to a ski resort in Vermont. 

The protests stemmed from Vance’s blunt rebuke of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an Oval Office meeting on Feb. 28. 

Among the slogans and signs hurled at the Vance family were, “Vance is a traitor, go ski in Russia,” “Tawdry excuse of a president” and “Nazi scum.” His three young children were present. 

ICE Arrests Pro-Gaza Protestor as Trump Cracks Down on Dissent

Luis Cornelio
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ICE Arrests Pro-Gaza Protestor as Trump Cracks Down on Dissent

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Foreign nationals who often blur the lines between supporting Palestinians and backing Hamas—a designated terrorist group—are facing consequences. One controversial activist may soon have his green card revoked. 

ICE agents arrested Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil at his Columbia University apartment after he led anti-Israel protests at Columbia and Barnard College. 

His attorney, Amy Greer, confirmed he faces the risk of having his green card canceled under President Donald Trump’s zero-tolerance policy for individuals who break the law while protesting Israel.

Khalil, who has not been charged with any crime yet, completed his graduate studies at Columbia in December but remained in campus housing, thanks to the university’s policy allowing recent graduates to stay, according to the New York Post. 

He gained national attention after leading a takeover of Barnard’s Milstein Library, where protesters harassed students with bullhorns. Some distributed flyers reportedly authorized by Hamas’s media office—the same terrorist group behind the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel.  

One flyer, titled “Our Narrative… Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” sought to justify the 2023 massacre, which was the bloodiest day for Jewish individuals since the Holocaust. 

Other rioters handed out trading cards featuring the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed by Israel in September. Hezbollah, like Hamas, is a foreign terrorist organization. It is unclear whether Khalil had prior knowledge of these flyers and cards.

“These protesters were handing out materials from terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah,” said Ari Shrage, head of Columbia’s Jewish Alumni Association. “Every American citizen should be concerned when students are encouraging terrorist activities on US soil regardless of their nationality.” 

This was one of several violent campus incidents. On Feb. 26, protesters assaulted a security guard while forcing their way into Barnard’s Milbank Hall, vandalizing walls with “free Palestine” and “Barnard expels students” phrases. 

On March 5, roughly 200 individuals broke into Milstein Library and hung a “Wanted” poster featuring the face of Dean of Students Leslie Grinage. The NYPD evacuated the building over a bomb threat and arrested nine students from other schools, the Post reported. The bomb turned out to be a false alarm. 

Despite this, Columbia denounced ICE’s raid and urged students to use resources if confronted by immigration agents.  

“We want to again communicate to our campus community that we have a protocol in place, which includes phone numbers to call in case you are approached on or off campus. Consistent with this protocol, and consistent with our longstanding practice and the practice of cities and institutions throughout the country, law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public University areas, including residential University buildings.” 

House GOP Releases Spending Bill to Keep Government Funded Through Fiscal Year

Headline USA Editor
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House GOP Releases Spending Bill to Keep Government Funded Through Fiscal Year

(The Center Square) U.S. House Republicans on Saturday released a spending bill that, if passed next week, would avoid a looming government shutdown.

The 99-page bill would keep most government spending on cruise control through the end of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30.

Friday, March 14, is the deadline for the House and Senate to pass the continuing resolution and send it to President Donald Trump’s desk to prevent a government shutdown.

Trump quickly signaled his support for the measure Saturday and urged Republicans to vote for it.

“The House and Senate have put together, under the circumstances, a very good funding bill (“CR”)! All Republicans should vote YES (Please!)”, Trump wrote on social media. “Great things are coming for America, and I am asking you all to give us a few months to get us through September so we can continue to put the Country’s ‘financial house’ in order. Democrats will do anything they can to shut down our Government, and we can’t let that happen.”

Many Democrats oppose such a long-term deal, but with the looming threat of a government shutdown, it’s unclear if they will be able to block passage. U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., has already said he will vote for a CR to keep the government open, as The Center Square previously reported.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has indicated he wants to bring the CR to the House floor for a vote by Tuesday.

If the measure passes, it would be the third time Congress punted the deadline to pass the annual 12 comprehensive appropriations bills that provide money for federal agencies to spend on programs each year.

Street Dealers Switch to Opioids More Potent than Fentanyl

Headline USA Editor
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Street Dealers Switch to Opioids More Potent than Fentanyl

(Brett Rowland, The Center Square) Street dealers across the U.S. are adding potent synthetic opioids to drug supplies in what federal officials say could be another deadly chapter in the nation’s opioid epidemic.

Cases across the country highlight the dangers. A 27-year-old Florida dealer who went by the nickname “Draco” sold batches of pills he said contained oxycodone to undercover agents. Some the pills had no drugs in them at all. Other batches only contained acetaminophen, the non-addictive pain reliever found in Tylenol. Yet other pills contained N-desethyl isotonitazene, an opioid far more deadly than fentanyl. Draco’s real name was Blake Alfonso Kolessa, according to federal court records.

A pharmacologist from the Drug Enforcement Administration was prepared to testify at Kolessa’s trial that N-desethyl isotonitazene was 10 times more potent than fentanyl and about 400 times more potent than morphine.

Kolessa pleaded guilty to selling thousands of pills containing metonitazene, N-desethyl isotonitazene and methamphetamine in 2024. He also admitted possessing more than six kilograms of powders and pressed pills containing fentanyl, protonitazene and N-pyrrolidino protonitazene.

One study found N-pyrrolidino protonitazene was 18 times more potent than fentanyl and about 274 times more potent than morphine, according to court records.

In January, a judge sentenced Kolessa, of Greenacres, Fla., to 15 years in prison.

In April 2024, prosecutors in the Southern District of New York charged two men with selling protonitazene, a synthetic opioid that is up to three times more potent than fentanyl.

“We will not allow drug dealers to hide behind novel changes to the chemical structure of drugs to avoid prosecution,” then-U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said at the time.

The Center for Forensic Science Research & Education, based in Pennsylvania, sent out an alert in 2023 about N-Pyrrolidino protonitazene in illicit drug supplies in North America and Europe.

“New synthetic opioids, namely the nitazene analogues, have sustained proliferation following the 2018 scheduling of fentanyl related substances,” according to the alert. “Most nitazene analogues encountered among the recreational drug supply retain opioid receptor activity and exhibit potency similar to or greater than that of fentanyl.”

DEA officials have reported mid-level and street-level dealers mixing synthetic opioids called nitazenes with other drugs.

“When combined with fentanyl, the effects of both drugs are heightened, which significantly increases the chance of fatal drug poisoning,” according to the DEA’s most recent National Drug Threat Assessment, which was released in 2024.

Nitazenes, which have never been approved for medical use, were developed in the 1950s as opioid analgesics, but were never approved for market, according to a study published in 2023. That paper notes that “a characteristic of nitazenes is their high potency (e.g., hundreds to thousands fold more potent than morphine and other opioids and tenfold more potent than fentanyl).”

Nitazenes include metonitazene, etonitazene, isotonitazene and protonitazene. All are listed under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, meaning the federal government considers them to be illegal drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.

“The mixtures are probably being made mainly by mid-level and street-level dealers in the United States,” according to the DEA report.

In November 2024, federal prosecutors in California charged a 21-year-old Santa Clarita man with selling protonitazene to another man. The mother of the man who bought the drugs later found him dead in the front seat of his car parked outside her home, according to court records. That case remains pending.

The case of another accused Florida drug dealer shows how nitazenes enter the U.S. recreational drug supply. In that case, the Florida man was mixing nitazenes with fentanyl. The unnamed dealer sold fentanyl in “distribution quantity amounts” to other drug traffickers in South Florida, according to the federal indictment. The dealer used Bitcoin to buy six kilograms of metonitazene and nine kilograms of protonitazene from the company based in Jiangsu, China, to make his supply more valuable.

The dealer was looking for chemicals to mix with fentanyl and heroin “to increase his supply of opioids and to enhance their effects on consumers,” according to the indictment. The Chinese company has since become a target of U.S. sanctions from the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

“[The dealer] mixed several different opioids and pressed them together,” according to the indictment. “The resulting mixture was a powerful and dangerous combination of protonitazene, metonitazene, fentanyl, fluorofentanyl, and heroin.”

DEA officials are worried about Mexican cartels getting involved with nitazenes.

“Since nitazenes are sold by China-based chemical suppliers through online marketplaces, the Mexican cartels could easily use their existing relationships with those suppliers to obtain nitazenes,” according to the DEA report. “To date, however, Mexican authorities have not seized nitazene or nitazene-fentanyl mixtures in Mexico.”

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