| 3.23.22

Increased Emergency Funding for Border Security (H.R. 72)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 72?

(Updated June 26, 2019)

H.R. 72 would authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Attorney General to send more resources to states on a U.S. border that state’s governor requests federal assistance because of a border emergency.

The DHS and Attorney General could authorize the deployment of up to 500 extra:

Border Patrol agents
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents,
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)

Under this bill, agents would be helping existing border patrol forces to patrol the border for drug trafficking, and the smuggling of people, firearms, explosives, and alcohol.

The DHS would be required to:

Increase the number of Border Patrol helicopters and power boats.
Establish a fleet of motor vehicles appropriate for Border Patrol use.
Equip those vehicles with computers capable of accessing law enforcement databases.
Improve and expand the radio communication infrastructure in areas that the Border Patrol operates.
Provide Border Patrol with global positioning system devices (GPS), night vision equipment, high-quality body armor, reliable and effective weapons, and uniforms.

An ATF, DEA, and Border Patrol Task Force would be established to monitor and report to Congress and the President on the trade and sale of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives along U.S. borders. The Attorney General would also be authorized to make border security grants to sheriffs’ offices and police departments located in counties within 25 miles of the southern U.S. border.

Argument in favor

Securing the border should be the top homeland security priority in light of the threats facing America. States are overwhelmed and require more resources.

Argument opposed

This bill throws resources at the problem without offering a broader, more holistic strategy for securing the border. A serious issue requires a serious response, not stopgap legislation.

Impact

Border communities, people trying to traffic drugs, people, and other substances across the border, law enforcement agencies in counties within 25 miles of the U.S. border, the DEA, ATF, Border Patrol, DHS, state governors, and the Attorney General.

Cost of H.R. 72

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

Of Note:

Powerful Mexican drug cartels have killed (directly and indirectly) more than 100,000 people while displacing another 1.6 million. It has had major repercussions for the U.S. with cartels operating in over 230 domestic cities, and killing more than 500 American civilians.

The porous border with Mexico has also created other national security problems for the U.S. Texas Governor Rick Perry deployed the Texas National Guard to the Mexican border in to stop the flow of illegal immigrants crossing into his state. Thousands of unaccompanied minors recently crossed the U.S. border, and the problems associated with detaining the children led President Obama to ask for $3.7 billion to deal with the crisis. Additionally, the rise of ISIS and the threat posed by the Ebola epidemic have led some members of Congress to call for increased security on America’s southern border.