1.Short title; table of
contents
(a)This Act may be cited
as the Border Reinforcement and Violence Reduction Act of
2009
.
(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Title I—Border Law Enforcement Enhancement
Sec. 101. Short title.
Sec. 102. Findings.
Sec. 103. Border relief grant program.
Sec. 104. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 105. Enforcement of Federal immigration law.
Sec. 106. Regulations.
Title II—Southwest Border Violence Reduction
Sec. 201. Short title.
Sec. 202. Project Gunrunner.
Sec. 203. Enhanced international cooperation.
Sec. 204. Operation Armas Cruzadas.
Sec. 205. Vehicle inspections.
Sec. 206. Affirmation of Second Amendment.
<enum>I</enum><header>Border Law
Enforcement Enhancement</header>
<section id="H679B63DDED6F4FE19213006BDE815EBB" section-type="section-one"><enum>101.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the
<quote><short-title>Border Law Enforcement Enhancement Act of
2009</short-title></quote>.</text>
</section><section id="HF161C00D05B24D25AF6E455627D9657F"><enum>102.</enum><header>Findings</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Congress finds the following:</text>
<paragraph id="HF41E71AEC15943EAAA983FEAF706CDE"><enum>(1)</enum><text>It
is the obligation of the Federal Government to adequately secure the borders of
the United States and prevent the flow of undocumented persons and illegal
drugs into the United States in order to better secure such borders.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF7CCEA7BC9254778AEF3DFD79C0F427"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Border communities
continue to incur significant costs due to the lack of adequate border
security. A 2001 study by the United States-Mexico Border Counties Coalition
found that law enforcement and criminal justice expenses associated with
illegal immigration exceed $89,000,000 annually for the Southwest border
counties.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H887160239D5A4BC9A2C4359610C57C25"><enum>(3)</enum><text>In August 2005,
the States of New Mexico and Arizona declared states of emergency in order to
provide local law enforcement immediate assistance in addressing criminal
activity along the Southwest border.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H6404B3AE95E44711A6694831DD32B43"><enum>(4)</enum><text>While the Federal
Government provides States and localities assistance in covering costs related
to the detention of certain criminal aliens and the prosecution of Federal drug
cases, local law enforcement along the border are provided no assistance in
covering such expenses and must use their limited resources to combat drug
trafficking, human smuggling, kidnappings, the destruction of private property,
and other border security related crimes.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H4D8EA46F56504A68BC4E55463D7CD3CD"><enum>(5)</enum><text>The United States
shares 5,525 miles of border with Canada and 1,989 miles with Mexico. Many of
the local law enforcement agencies located along the border are small, rural
departments charged with patrolling large areas of land. Counties along the
Southwest United States-Mexico border are some of the poorest in the country
and lack the financial resources to cover the additional costs associated with
border security, narcoterrorism, and other border-related crimes.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H06D92FBDB6E84815AF256B32C4FA00B0"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Federal assistance
is required to help local law enforcement operating along the border address
the unique challenges that arise as a result of their proximity to an
international border and the lack of overall border security in the
region.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="H85C79B501B8A4C2FA99767A736BCDC75"><enum>103.</enum><header>Border relief
grant program</header>
<subsection id="H5D4B6D9A839F42B38D97E1E33EDAE6"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>From amounts made available under section 104, the
Secretary of Homeland Security may make border security grants to—</text>
<paragraph id="HDCBFF1CE23DC40C7A3532ECFA4A0826B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>sheriffs’ offices
of counties any part of which is within 25 miles of the southern border of the
United States; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H6730F4E907CB407E85B96DA5248BDBCE"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">police departments serving a city, town, or
other political subdivision in a county any part of which is within 25 miles of
the southern border of the United States (including tribal police departments
serving a community any part of which is within 25 miles of such
border).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H64BD684CD7424EEF89116F2F00FC4078"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Use of
funds</header>
<paragraph id="H02DAB427C04E400D9324E1751B95D80"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Grant funds received under subsection (a) may be used for
the following activities:</text>
<subparagraph id="HC76794667BB546DE96DF677FA54EFF36"><enum>(A)</enum><text>To conduct law
enforcement operations to enforce criminal laws, prevent and punish criminal
activity, and protect the lives, property, and security of the people within
the jurisdiction of the grant recipient.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC7FC8A47779D4B83B8B30075ABB10839"><enum>(B)</enum><text>To transfer to
appropriate Federal law enforcement officials aliens unlawfully present in the
United States who detained or in the custody of the grant recipient.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HAD9CB8A4918D429F9F4D10A02E80B179"><enum>(C)</enum><text>To enforce State
and Federal laws relating to securing the border and enforce other State and
Federal criminal laws.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H38EE2B3A30054DF1ADFEA434FA89C46F"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Payment of
costs</header><text>Use of funds under paragraph (1) shall include payment for
costs of—</text>
<subparagraph id="H4571FBD57A9B4C00AC61AD5086AAAF"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">hiring, equipping, training, and otherwise
controlling the operations and deployment of law enforcement officials engaged
in duties described in paragraph (1), as well as the costs of paying overtime
to such officials; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC7B9B47FEE924AA7BBBDD135C79B969D"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">detaining, housing, and transporting aliens
who are unlawfully present in the United States and who are taken into custody
by the grant recipient, until such aliens are transferred to appropriate
Federal law enforcement officials.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H95D5BEF5A98A404193EFE72753E4FE9"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Detention
facilities</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In accordance with
paragraph (2)(B), grant funds received under subsection (a) may be used for the
construction, maintenance, and operation of detention facilities to detain
aliens who are unlawfully present in the United States, except that not more
than 20 percent of such funds may be used for the construction or renovation of
detention or similar facilities.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HCC28C4C90D1F46D9A9681F65F5C4308"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Application</header>
<paragraph id="HF663E2F09103429CBEDA9903C1628CB0"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Each eligible law enforcement agency seeking a grant
under this section shall submit to the Secretary of Homeland Security an
application at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information
as the Secretary may require.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H81DEEC7153D247DCBD808C25B025E7AF"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Contents</header><text>Each
application submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall—</text>
<subparagraph id="H5CD91C0BA18F4AC78F6265A477619D16"><enum>(A)</enum><text>describe the
activities for which assistance under this section is sought; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD444805925724978822FD2B0F376BCB3"><enum>(B)</enum><text>provide such
additional assurances as the Secretary of Homeland Security determines to be
essential to ensure compliance with the requirements of this section.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H132555D4159146F7A700DED4F59D42F2"><enum>104.</enum><header>Authorization
of appropriations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">There is
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry
out this title $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2010 and each succeeding fiscal
year.</text>
</section><section id="H55D8F7079A6545F4AAEA5D976F000E9"><enum>105.</enum><header>Enforcement of
Federal immigration law</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Nothing in this title shall be construed to
authorize State or local law enforcement agencies or their officers to exercise
Federal immigration law enforcement authority.</text>
</section><section id="H7DAD6C01B04340CEB3AD8B5700F58EA0"><enum>106.</enum><header>Regulations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this title, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall issue
regulations to carry out this title.</text>
</section><enum>II</enum><header>Southwest Border
Violence Reduction</header>
<section id="HD81C2987A1FB49E88E6941FE00C83D73" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>201.</enum><header>Short
title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act may be cited as
the <quote><short-title>Southwest Border Violence
Reduction Act of 2009</short-title></quote>.</text>
</section><section id="HB9B10D16E4624C4D97AFA4C13F5387B"><enum>202.</enum><header>Project
Gunrunner</header>
<subsection id="HBC273DDFF90B4A31AE7169AB31E6EA29"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Attorney General shall dedicate and expand the
resources provided for the Project Gunrunner initiative of the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to identify, investigate, and
prosecute individuals involved in the trafficking of firearms across the
international border between the United States and Mexico.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HBFDA0D3D355C4E7B9681623203555832"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Activities</header><text>In
carrying out this section, the Attorney General shall—</text>
<paragraph id="H62D17BDBC26546CC838FCE8574CCB927"><enum>(1)</enum><text>assign additional
agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to the area
of the United States adjacent to the international border between the United
States and Mexico to support the expansion of Project Gunrunner teams;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HAA1C6E0AD0524D6CBAD6CBEC06386D06"><enum>(2)</enum><text>establish not
fewer than 1 Project Gunrunner team in each State along the international
border between the United States and Mexico; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H5D937555CEA04D17BAD6D442A5789BFB"><enum>(3)</enum><text>coordinate with
the heads of other relevant Federal law enforcement agencies and State and
local law enforcement agencies to address firearms trafficking in a
comprehensive manner.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HAC696E3B3FC1419D90DBB2F3DED7D064"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Additional
staff</header><text>The Attorney General may hire Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms, and Explosives agents for, and otherwise expend additional resources
needed to adequately support, Project Gunrunner.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H596142B5EA5C423B9333EC809D00A641"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Authorization of
appropriations</header><text>There is authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2010 and 2011 to carry out this section.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H80C83A8B2F174424B606B5AA8D0456D3"><enum>203.</enum><header>Enhanced
international cooperation</header>
<subsection id="H0C83817A84B94396866D97517E3E866C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Attorney General, in cooperation with the Secretary
of State, shall—</text>
<paragraph id="HC4AF3A7FC53647FAA516C12B2F1BF694"><enum>(1)</enum><text>assign agents of
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to the United States
mission in Mexico, to work with Mexican law enforcement agencies in conducting
investigations relating to firearms trafficking and other criminal
enterprises;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H2B10C3C8C6624917952940B74E6DC127"><enum>(2)</enum><text>provide the
equipment and technological resources necessary to support investigations and
to trace firearms recovered in Mexico; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HE9AA3B4FF1A44B6086E679E5D8F97CD"><enum>(3)</enum><text>support the
training of Mexican law enforcement officers in serial number restoration
techniques, canine explosive detection, and antitrafficking tactics.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HED57F71640054A229D2E9B73C62CC0A8"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Authorization of
appropriations</header><text>There is authorized to be appropriated $9,500,000
for each of fiscal years 2010 and 2011 to carry out this section.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H211893ED14E4485595EF1ADA6FADC59"><enum>204.</enum><header>Operation Armas
Cruzadas</header>
<subsection id="HE6B5D773C320437AB0A7A1BCB0B35BA"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In accordance with
subsection (b), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall dedicate and expand
the resources provided for Operation Armas Cruzadas of United States
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to identify, investigate, and
prosecute individuals involved in the trafficking and smuggling of firearms and
in other unlawful activities across the international border between the United
States and Mexico.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H44A721EB82214A4CB621238CDB32F197"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Resources</header><text>To
achieve the goal described in subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland
Security shall—</text>
<paragraph id="HF6622E881DAD4BAABB7456DAC312D24"><enum>(1)</enum><text>increase the number
of ICE agents assigned to Operation Armas Cruzadas over the number of such
agents who are so assigned as of the date of the enactment of this
section;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H2D71B4839CB54AE99BE1B022C714E641"><enum>(2)</enum><text>increase the
number of Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) teams stationed along
the border over the number of such teams so stationed as of the date of the
enactment of this section; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H5AECDA98C04E401D8F1FEDAD6EE7B378"><enum>(3)</enum><text>coordinate with
the heads of other relevant Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies
to address firearms trafficking in a comprehensive manner.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H963DDC1F1470409F906CC7D6F165E47"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Authorization of
appropriations</header><text>There is authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2010 and 2011 to carry out this section.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="HEC5762C366314BD79B1FC9488B2F438B"><enum>205.</enum><header>Vehicle
inspections</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary of
Homeland Security shall coordinate with the heads of other relevant Federal,
State, and local law enforcement agencies along the border to develop a
comprehensive and strategic plan for the inspection of vehicles heading into
Mexico.</text>
</section><section id="HAD40651206394BCE94599ABEB041DEFF"><enum>206.</enum><header>Affirmation of
Second Amendment</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Nothing in
this title shall be construed to restrict or limit the use and ownership of
legal handguns and firearms by law-abiding gun owners.</text>
</section>