Multiple Counties Designated High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas by White House
The White House has designated Lehigh County as a high intensity drug trafficking area, admitting it into the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA). This program aims to reduce drug production and trafficking in the United States by collaborating with federal, state, and local law enforcement. Lehigh County is one of nine new counties admitted to the program, and the designation will result in additional federal resources being deployed to address the county's drug-related issues. President Joe Biden's proposed budget for the 2024 fiscal year includes $290.2 million in federal funding for the HIDTA program.