S. 1897 — Reported in Senate

II Calendar No. 672 118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 1897 [Report No. 118–269] IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 8, 2023Ms. Hassan (for herself, Mr. Lankford, and Mr. Ossoff) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs December 9, 2024Reported by Mr. Peters, with an amendmentStrike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic A BILL To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to enhance capabilities for outbound inspections at the southern land border, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Enhancing Southbound Inspections to Combat Cartels Act. 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; (B) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; (C) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; (E) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives; and (F) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives. (2) Southern border The term Southern Border means the international land border between the United States and Mexico. 3. Additional U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel for southbound inspections (a) CBP officers The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall hire, train, and assign not fewer than 500 new officers to assist with inspections of pedestrians, cars, trucks, and other modes of transportation traveling from the United States to Mexico. (b) Support staff The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is authorized to hire, train, and assign such additional support staff as may be necessary to support the functions carried out by the officers hired pursuant to subsection (a). 4. Additional inspection equipment and infrastructure (a) Imaging systems The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is authorized to purchase up to 50 additional non-intrusive imaging systems, which shall be deployed along the Southern Border for the purpose of inspecting vehicles traveling from the United States to Mexico. (b) Alternative equipment The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is authorized to purchase additional alternative equipment that the Commissioner deems necessary for the purpose of inspecting individuals or vehicles traveling from the United States to Mexico. 5. Additional Homeland Security Investigations personnel for investigations of southbound smuggling (a) HSI special agents The Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall hire, train, and assign not fewer than 100 new Homeland Security Investigations special agents to assist with investigations involving the smuggling of currency and firearms from the United States to Mexico. (b) Support staff The Director is authorized to hire, train, and assign such additional support staff as may be necessary to support the functions carried out by the special agents hired pursuant to subsection (a). 6. Report (a) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that— (1) identifies infrastructure limitations at any individual port that may limit the ability of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to deploy additional inspection equipment and inspect vehicles and pedestrians traveling from the United States to Mexico; (2) identifies the number of dedicated outbound traffic lanes that are being used at each port of entry along the Southern Border; (3) provides a detailed explanation of any plans to expand the outbound lane capacity and inspection capabilities at ports of entry along the Southern Border; and (4) describes any plans that would allow for the use of alternative inspection sites near a port of entry along the Southern Border. (b) Classification The report submitted pursuant to subsection (a), or any part of such report, may be classified or provided with other appropriate safeguards to prevent public dissemination. 7. Minimum mandatory southbound inspection requirement (a) Requirement The Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that 20 percent of all vehicles traveling from the United States to Mexico are inspected before leaving the United States, to the extent practicable. (b) Authorized inspection activities Inspections required pursuant to subsection (a) may include nonintrusive imaging, physical inspections by officers or canine units, or other means authorized by the Secretary of Homeland Security. (c) Report Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that describes the staffing model that will be used to carry out the inspection requirement described in subsection (a). 8. Southbound currency and firearms seizures quarterly report (a) In general Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 90 days thereafter until the date that is 4 years after such date of enactment, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that describes the seizure of currency, firearms, and ammunition attempted to be trafficked from the United States to Mexico across the Southern Border. (b) Contents Each report submitted pursuant to subsection (a) shall include, for the most recent 90-day period for which such information is available— (1) the total number of currency seizures that occurred from outbound inspections at United States land ports of entry along the Southern Border; (2) the total dollar amount associated with the currency seizures referred to in paragraph (1); (3) the total number of firearms seized from outbound inspections at United States land ports of entry along the Southern Border; (4) the total number of ammunition rounds seized from outbound inspections at United States land ports of entry along the Southern Border; and (5) the total number of incidents of firearm seizures and ammunition seizures that occurred at United States land ports of entry along the Southern Border. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Enhancing Southbound Inspections to Combat Cartels Act. 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; (B) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; (C) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; (E) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives; and (F) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives. (2) Southern border The term Southern Border means the international land border between the United States and Mexico. 3. Additional inspection equipment and infrastructure (a) Imaging systems The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is authorized— (1) to purchase up to 50 additional non-intrusive imaging systems; and (2) to procure additional associated supporting infrastructure. (b) Deployment The systems and infrastructure purchased or otherwise procured pursuant to subsection (a) shall be deployed along the Southern Border for the primary purpose of inspecting any persons, conveyances, or modes of transportation traveling from the United States to Mexico. (c) Alternative equipment The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is authorized to procure additional infrastructure or alternative inspection equipment that the Commissioner deems necessary for the purpose of inspecting any persons, conveyances, or modes of transportation traveling from the United States to Mexico. (d) Sunset Subsections (a) and (c) shall cease to have force and effect beginning on the date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. 4. Additional Homeland Security Investigations personnel for investigations of southbound smuggling (a) HSI special agents The Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall hire, train, and assign— (1) not fewer than 100 new Homeland Security Investigations special agents to primarily assist with investigations involving the smuggling of currency and firearms from the United States to Mexico; and (2) not fewer than 100 new Homeland Security Investigations special agents to assist with investigations involving the smuggling of contraband, human trafficking and smuggling (including that of children), drug smuggling, and unauthorized entry into the United States from Mexico. (b) Support staff The Director is authorized to hire, train, and assign such additional support staff as may be necessary to support the functions carried out by the special agents hired pursuant to subsection (a). 5. Report (a) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that— (1) identifies the resources provided, including equipment, personnel, and infrastructure, and the annual budget to carry out outbound and inbound inspections, including, to the extent practicable, resources specifically used for inspections of any individuals and modes of transportation— (A) from the United States to Mexico or to Canada; and (B) from Mexico or Canada into the United States. (2) describes the operational cadence of all outbound and inbound inspections of individuals and conveyances traveling from the United States to Mexico or to Canada and from Mexico or Canada into the United States, described as a percentage of total encounters or as the total number of inspections conducted; (3) describes any plans that would allow for the use of alternative inspection sites near a port of entry; (4) includes an estimate of— (A) the number of vehicles and conveyances that can be inspected with up to 50 additional non-intrusive imaging systems dedicated to southbound inspections; and (B) the number of vehicles and conveyances that can be inspected with up to 50 additional non-intrusive imaging systems that may be additionally dedicated to inbound inspections along the southwest border; and (5) assesses the capability of inbound inspections by authorities of the Government of Mexico, in cooperation with United States law enforcement agencies, to detect and interdict the flow of illicit weapons and currency being smuggled— (A) from the United States to Mexico; and (B) from Mexico into the United States. (b) Classification The report submitted pursuant to subsection (a), or any part of such report, may be classified or provided with other appropriate safeguards to prevent public dissemination. 6. Minimum mandatory southbound inspection requirement (a) Requirement Not later than March 30, 2027, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that not fewer than 10 percent of all conveyances and other modes of transportation traveling from the United States to Mexico are inspected before leaving the United States. (b) Authorized inspection activities Inspections required pursuant to subsection (a) may include nonintrusive imaging, physical inspections by officers or canine units, or other means authorized by the Secretary of Homeland Security. (c) Report on additional inspections capabilities Not later than March 30, 2028, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees assessing the Department of Homeland Security’s timeline and resource requirements for increasing inspection rates to 15 and 20 percent of all conveyances and modes of transportation traveling from the United States to Mexico. 7. Currency and firearms seizures quarterly report (a) In general Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 90 days thereafter until the date that is 4 years after such date of enactment, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that describes the seizure of currency, firearms, and ammunition attempted to be trafficked out of the United States. (b) Contents Each report submitted pursuant to subsection (a) shall include, for the most recent 90-day period for which such information is available— (1) the total number of currency seizures that occurred from outbound inspections at United States ports of entry; (2) the total dollar amount associated with the currency seizures referred to in paragraph (1); (3) the total number of firearms seized from outbound inspections at United States ports of entry; (4) the total number of ammunition rounds seized from outbound inspections at United States ports of entry; and (5) the total number of incidents of firearm seizures and ammunition seizures that occurred at United States ports of entry. December 9, 2024Reported with an amendment