Overview

• The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing where Chairman Josh Brecheen alleged Chinese criminal organizations are running illegal grow sites in multiple states and posing a national security risk.
• Oklahoma narcotics director Donnie Anderson testified that from March 2024 to March 2025 licensed growers reported more than 7.2 million plants while dispensaries sold about 1.6 million pounds, leaving tens of millions of plants unaccounted for and linked to black-market operations.
• Anderson cited execution-style murders, human trafficking, theft, and widespread licensing fraud, including an instance where a single Oklahoman was listed as owner of roughly 300 farms.
• Investigators face hurdles such as language barriers and the use of WeChat, which Anderson said falls outside U.S. electronic surveillance laws, complicating lawful access to communications and payments.
• Testimony noted grow sites near sensitive infrastructure, including reported suspicious activity next to the McAlester ammunition plant, while policy ideas included a federally led interagency task force; a motion by Rep. Delia Ramirez to subpoena DHS Secretary Kristi Noem failed 5–3.