Border Security and Migrant Safety Act of 2022

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7756 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7756

   To establish a Department of Homeland Security integrated border
      intelligence analytical cell and Joint Task Force to combat
   transnational criminal organizations exploiting migration surges,
     strengthen cross-border partnerships, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 12, 2022

Ms. Slotkin (for herself and Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas) introduced the
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland
   Security, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and
  Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

   To establish a Department of Homeland Security integrated border
      intelligence analytical cell and Joint Task Force to combat
   transnational criminal organizations exploiting migration surges,
     strengthen cross-border partnerships, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Border Security and Migrant Safety
Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. BORDER SECURITY AND MIGRANT SAFETY.

    (a) DHS Integrated Border Intelligence Analytical Cell.--The
Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish within the National
Targeting Center of U.S. Customs and Border Protection a dedicated
intelligence cell focused on sharing information regarding concentrated
surges of migrants arriving at the land border of the United States,
and illicit smuggling and trafficking that may pose a border security,
homeland security, public health, or other threat to the land border of
the United States. Such cell shall integrate intelligence capabilities
from across the Department of Homeland Security to carry out the
following:
            (1) Develop intelligence products to improve the
        Department's ability to track, prepare for, and manage in a
        humane and effective manner concentrated surges of migrants
        arriving along the land border of the United States.
            (2) Report on transnational criminal organizations
        exploiting migrating populations and migration routes to
        smuggle narcotics and other illicit goods across the land
        border of the United States.
            (3) Support Federal efforts to dismantle or disrupt illicit
        smuggling and trafficking along the land border of the United
        States.
            (4) Report on communications by transnational criminal
        organizations and other malicious actors that seek to encourage
        illicit migrant travel to the United States.
            (5) Develop other related intelligence products that
        support the Department's border security operations.
    (b) Department of Homeland Security Joint Task Force To Combat
Transnational Criminal Organizations Exploiting Migration Surges.--
            (1) In general.--Notwithstanding subsection (b)(11) of
        section 708 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C.
        348), not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment
        of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, pursuant
        to such section, establish a departmental Joint Task Force to
        conduct operations using personnel and capabilities of the
        Department of Homeland Security to combat human trafficking and
        smuggling along the land border of the United States for the
        purpose specified in clause (i) of subsection (b)(2)(A) of such
        section. Such task force shall--
                    (A) pay particular attention to transnational
                criminal organizations that target foreign nationals,
                particularly children and families, for smuggling and
                trafficking across the land border of the United
                States; and
                    (B) when appropriate, refer to the Attorney General
                for prosecution border-related criminal activity.
            (2) Performance metrics.--Consistent with subsection (b)(9)
        of section 708 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, the
        Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish and submit to
        the appropriate congressional committees performance metrics to
        evaluate the effectiveness of the Joint Task Force established
        pursuant to paragraph (1). Such performance metrics shall
        include outcome-based metrics associated with efforts to combat
        human trafficking and smuggling across the land border of the
        United States, including information on effectiveness at
        identifying transnational criminal organizations engaged in
        such activity, the sharing of information regarding such
        organizations, efforts to dismantle or disrupt such activity by
        such organizations, and investigative contributions to the
        prosecution of such organizations.
            (3) Quarterly reports to congress.--Not later than four
        months after the establishment of the Joint Task Force pursuant
        to paragraph (1) and every four months thereafter until such
        Joint Task Force is disbanded by the Secretary of Homeland
        Security in accordance with paragraph (4), the Director of such
        Joint Task Force shall report to the appropriate congressional
        committees on the activities of such Joint Task Force during
        the preceding four-month period.
            (4) Disbanding of joint task force.--The Secretary of
        Homeland Security shall--
                    (A) upon establishment of the Joint Task Force
                pursuant to paragraph (1), report to the appropriate
                congressional committees the criteria to be applied by
                the Secretary before making a determination to disband
                such Joint Task Force; and
                    (B) not later than 15 days prior to disbanding such
                Joint Task Force, submit to such committees a
                justification relating thereto.
            (5) Appropriate congressional committees defined.--In this
        subsection, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
        means the committees specified in subparagraph (F) of section
        708(b)(6) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
            (6) Repeal of sunset.--Paragraph (13) of section 708(b) of
        the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is repealed.
    (c) Strengthening Cross-Border Partnerships.--The Secretary of
Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of State, shall
expand partnership efforts with law enforcement entities in Canada,
Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador to combat human smuggling
and trafficking in such countries, including through the following:
            (1) Expansion of transnational criminal investigative units
        to identify, disrupt, dismantle, and prosecute human smuggling
        and trafficking operations.
            (2) Participation in the Bilateral Human Trafficking
        Enforcement Initiative by U.S. Immigration and Customs
        Enforcement and the Department of Justice with their Mexican
        law enforcement counterparts.
            (3) Advanced training programs for investigators and
        prosecutors from such countries.
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