110 HRES 1506 IH: Recognizing the importance of the Border U.S. House of Representatives 2008-09-25 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.

IV 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1506 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 25, 2008 Mr. Issa submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, 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 RESOLUTION Recognizing the importance of the Border Patrol in combating human smuggling and commending the Department of Justice for increasing the rate of human smuggler prosecutions.

Whereas human smuggling continues to threaten the United States as well as individuals in transport; Whereas human smuggling introduces numerous violent criminals to neighborhoods and communities in the United States; Whereas human smuggling exposes the United States to further acts of terrorism by subverting the authority of and safety provided by United States Customs and Border Protection; Whereas individuals voluntarily being smuggled are exposed to tragic and dangerous conditions, many times resulting in their injury or death; Whereas countless individuals are abducted and smuggled against their will continuing the grotesque practice of human slavery; Whereas human smuggling is often conducted by organized crime and exposes Federal agents to increased danger in their enforcement efforts; Whereas United States Customs and Border Protection has, in the past, arrested many human smugglers only to see them freed by the Federal Government without prosecution; Whereas many of these same human smugglers are repeatedly arrested by United States Customs and Border Protection; Whereas such repeated encounters are extremely demoralizing to the Border Patrol in a time when the American public is putting tremendous pressure on the Border Patrol to do more to stop illegal border crossings; and Whereas Federal prosecutions of human smugglers have increased in recent months resulting in decreased repeat offenses and arrests and uplifted Border Patrol morale: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)reaffirms its support for the role and importance of the Border Patrol in combating human smuggling; and (2)commends the Department of Justice for increasing the rate of human smuggler prosecutions and urges the Department of Justice to continue prosecuting human smugglers at a rate that will help eliminate the scourge of human smuggling.