109 HR 6091 IH: Border Security Enhancement Act of
U.S. House of Representatives
2006-09-15
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.This Act may be cited as the
Border Security Enhancement Act of
2006
.
<enum>I</enum><header>Alien
Smuggler Prosecution Act</header>
<section id="H93EA6EF1C3434D87B1C1B393FC73BE89"><enum>101.</enum><header>Effective
prosecution of alien smugglers</header>
<subsection id="HE15D9654E88B47D3B4A4DD2E989840DE"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Findings</header><text>The
Congress finds as follows:</text>
<paragraph id="H073EE2F7D5304D1BBFF0948FEACAA3AF"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Recent experience
shows that alien smuggling is flourishing, is increasingly violent, and is
highly profitable.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H70FCF258E27640899D040043EE86D9B0"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Alien smuggling
operations also present terrorist and criminal organizations with opportunities
for smuggling their members into the United States practically at will.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H6F08B4ADF5834076A5AC8300BFDEA691"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Alien smuggling is
a lucrative business. Each year, criminal organizations that smuggle or traffic
in persons are estimated to generate $9,500,000,000 in revenue
worldwide.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H62E8FBC08AE545F19D9904E3864E726E"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Alien smuggling
frequently involves dangerous and inhumane conditions for smuggled aliens.
Migrants are frequently abused or exploited, both during their journey and upon
reaching the United States. Consequently, aliens smuggled into the United
States are at significant risk of physical injury, abuse, and death.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H9DAC4A4A4F524F31A978F74300BDD002"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Notwithstanding
that alien smuggling poses a risk to the United States as a whole, uniform
guidelines for the prosecution of smuggling offenses are not employed by the
various United States attorneys. Understanding that border-area United States
attorneys face an overwhelming workload, a lack of sufficient prosecutions by
certain United States attorneys has encouraged additional smuggling, and
demoralized Border Patrol officers charged with enforcing our anti-smuggling
laws.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H7F93135CE5A14CDFA1B15900E76395E2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Sense of
Congress</header><text>It is the sense of the Congress that the Attorney
General should adopt, not later than 3 months after the date of the enactment
of this Act, uniform guidelines for the prosecution of smuggling offenses to be
followed by each United States attorney in the United States.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HF3BAFBEF32F144A8B8F44B00240015F4"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Additional
personnel</header><text>In each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2013, the
Attorney General shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, increase
by not less than 20 the number of attorneys in the offices of United States
attorneys employed to prosecute cases under section 274 of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1324">8 U.S.C. 1324</external-xref>), as compared to the previous fiscal
year.</text>
</subsection></section><enum>II</enum><header>Criminal Alien
Removal Act</header>
<section id="H7E38191FD3E742EE82B93300D1EA563F"><enum>201.</enum><header>Expedited
removal for aliens inadmissible on criminal grounds</header>
<subsection id="HEC93F94AD20F412900F0D1EB2315F813"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
General</header><text>Section 238(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1228(b)) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H720C478D09D746BDBA896CB848E72776"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph
(1)—</text>
<subparagraph id="H88257AC17F6F4AEEAACBA55E71B693F2"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>Attorney General</quote> and inserting <quote>Secretary of Homeland
Security in the exercise of discretion</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB107C1C0DFFE405DAA805EAF67E2A89B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>set forth in this subsection or</quote> and inserting <quote>set forth
in this subsection, in lieu of removal proceedings under</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H131E2A242C2B462A923D25DADDE61BA5"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (3),
by striking <quote>paragraph (1) until 14 calendar days</quote> and inserting
<quote>paragraph (1) or (3) until 7 calendar days</quote>;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H699C839A38034D82947B1D171B175531"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>Attorney General</quote> each place it appears in paragraphs (3) and (4)
and inserting <quote>Secretary of Homeland Security</quote>;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H62B6D8D31A4343EFB252A9EBF6D7B254"><enum>(4)</enum><text>in paragraph
(5)—</text>
<subparagraph id="H80463A53197B47B7B4166923E38CF8C2"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>described in this section</quote> and inserting <quote>described in
paragraph (1) or (2)</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0568ACDE401B449EB1F475FFA510DB98"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>the Attorney General may grant in the Attorney General’s
discretion</quote> and inserting <quote>the Secretary of Homeland Security or
the Attorney General may grant, in the discretion of the Secretary or Attorney
General, in any proceeding</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H41309CA07111465AA59C8F715798A313"><enum>(5)</enum><text>by redesignating
paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) as paragraphs (4), (5), and (6), respectively;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H57716DFA5E9C47C1B9003007DB3A0B3"><enum>(6)</enum><text>by
inserting after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph:</text>
<quoted-block id="H1CC1134CD63E4B4E00DCAA85F536B297" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="HE217484E4B4F4801B1A26732767D64EC"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The Secretary of
Homeland Security in the exercise of discretion may determine inadmissibility
under section 212(a)(2) (relating to criminal offenses) and issue an order of
removal pursuant to the procedures set forth in this subsection, in lieu of
removal proceedings under section 240, with respect to an alien who—</text>
<subparagraph id="HCD95EA124E174530B520EAD9028C597"><enum>(A)</enum><text>has not been
admitted or paroled;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H974E8ADF2C2C47A88FD33277A111DDB"><enum>(B)</enum><text>has not been found
to have a credible fear of persecution pursuant to the procedures set forth in
section 235(b)(1)(B); and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5DD21811ACF740A085BC136686867675"><enum>(C)</enum><text>is not eligible
for a waiver of inadmissibility or relief from
removal.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HA36B7CFF31E0475A9EF371F9476E70E7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective
Date</header><text>The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on
the date of the enactment of this Act but shall not apply to aliens who are in
removal proceedings under section 240 of the Immigration and Nationality Act as
of such date.</text>
</subsection></section><enum>III</enum><header>Border Tunnel
Prevention Act of 2006</header>
<section display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD3721381FCBB4820BED41597E5D5F5C4" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>301.</enum><header>Construction of
border tunnel or passage</header>
<subsection id="H70C9E4D9E88445B5B840ECF9A926B3A9"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Chapter 27 of title
18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3980A339DCBF4E4F8FB800351337BE40" style="USC">
<section id="H51217A32DCB44441B462E88521FCE5BC"><enum>554.</enum><header>Border tunnels
and passages</header>
<subsection id="H52B50F1372044292876D92A2DBCD44DC"><enum>(a)</enum><text>Any person who
knowingly constructs or finances the construction of a tunnel or subterranean
passage that crosses the international border between the United States and
another country, other than a lawfully authorized tunnel or passage known to
the Secretary of Homeland Security and subject to inspection by the Bureau of
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, shall be imprisoned for not more than 20
years.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H387BB20C400F413E80B744D8DE55339B"><enum>(b)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any person who recklessly permits the
construction or use of a tunnel or passage described in subsection (a) on land
that the person owns or controls shall be imprisoned for not more than 10
years.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HF9B1714BE33E44EF8F3F13F6F768B3FB"><enum>(c)</enum><text>Any person who
uses a tunnel or passage described in subsection (a) to unlawfully smuggle an
alien, goods (in violation of section 545), controlled substances, weapons of
mass destruction (including biological weapons), or a member of a terrorist
organization (as defined in section 212(a)(3)(B)(vi) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1182">8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(B)(vi)</external-xref>)) shall be subject to twice the
penalty that would have otherwise been imposed had the unlawful activity not
made use of such a tunnel or
passage.</text>
</subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="HADC15AB1EDE5421492D2251ECB679F6"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clerical
amendment</header><text>The table of sections for <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/18/27">chapter 27</external-xref> of title 18,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="HE38B79F98EC44E38AE28D5B76BBE7694" style="USC">
<toc>
<toc-entry idref="H51217A32DCB44441B462E88521FCE5BC" level="section">Sec. 554. Border tunnels and
passages.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="H25622F7C9EC44BC782C4161DC25D709F"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Criminal
forfeiture</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/18/982">Section 982(a)(6)</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code, is
amended by inserting <quote>554,</quote> before <quote>1425,</quote>.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="HBC2E4DCCCF3241BA00DA675137F11EDE"><enum>302.</enum><header>Directive to
the United States Sentencing Commission</header>
<subsection id="H5C451FE13E244F77BD59130271379700"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Pursuant to its authority under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/28/994">section 994</external-xref> of title 28,
United States Code, and in accordance with this section, the United States
Sentencing Commission shall promulgate or amend sentencing guidelines to
provide for increased penalties for persons convicted of offenses described in
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/18/554">section 554</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 301.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H84AD7831BD2D42C68C0145A498F48810"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requirements</header><text>In
carrying out this section, the United States Sentencing Commission
shall—</text>
<paragraph id="H7D49D0141E5547DC99A5A8329F4EDD74"><enum>(1)</enum><text>ensure that the
sentencing guidelines, policy statements, and official commentary reflect the
serious nature of the offenses described in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/18/554">section 554</external-xref> of title 18, United
States Code, and the need for aggressive and appropriate law enforcement action
to prevent such offenses;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HEB4B1820E4FC4942B5CF00E218BAB713"><enum>(2)</enum><text>provide adequate
base offense levels for offenses under such section;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3A9FDB6FCB974CAB9F003632FF05E0BA"><enum>(3)</enum><text>account for any
aggravating or mitigating circumstances that might justify exceptions,
including—</text>
<subparagraph id="H993291B356154D24B0F9045C30BBEDEC"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the use of a
tunnel or passage described in subsection (a) of such section to facilitate
other felonies; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC2EF115663474601AAA94F10DE35FF2F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the circumstances
for which the sentencing guidelines currently provide applicable sentencing
enhancements;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H82B84EFE95EA43B99CE6D59FF7F25EC1"><enum>(4)</enum><text>ensure reasonable
consistency with other relevant directives, other sentencing guidelines, and
statutes;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HE20218391D394462AF5CC4496976D36E"><enum>(5)</enum><text>make any necessary
and conforming changes to the sentencing guidelines and policy statements;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H1BC8873AB2B245BEA722E812BE173983"><enum>(6)</enum><text>ensure that the
sentencing guidelines adequately meet the purposes of sentencing set forth in
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/18/3553">section 3553(a)(2)</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section>