[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5132 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5132

  To bolster Department of Homeland Security efforts to combat cross-
 border threats posed by transnational criminal organizations, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 1, 2023

  Mr. Thanedar (for himself, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr. Correa, Mr. 
Robert Garcia of California, Mr. Magaziner, and Ms. Tokuda) 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 bolster Department of Homeland Security efforts to combat cross-
 border threats posed by transnational criminal organizations, 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 ``United Against Transnational 
Criminal Organizations Act''.

SEC. 2. BOLSTERING DHS EFFORTS TO COMBAT CROSS-BORDER THREATS POSED BY 
              TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS.

    (a) DHS Joint Task Force.--
            (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 Department of Homeland Security 
        Joint Task Force to conduct operations using personnel and 
        capabilities of the Department to combat cross-border threats 
        posed by transnational criminal organizations operating along 
        the land borders 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 or 
                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) Priorities.--The task force established in accordance 
        with paragraph (1) may, when appropriate, refer to the Attorney 
        General for prosecution border-related criminal activity, and 
        shall pay particular attention to transnational criminal 
        organizations that--
                    (A) target people, particularly children and 
                families, for smuggling or trafficking across the land 
                borders of the United States; or
                    (B) are engaged in the smuggling or trafficking of 
                fentanyl, fentanyl chemical precursors, or related 
                equipment and material across the land borders of the 
                United States.
            (3) 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 
        achieve the priorities described in paragraph (2), 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.
            (4) 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 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.
            (5) 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.
            (6) 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.
    (b) Transnational Criminal Organization Border Screening 
Strategy.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall issue a strategy to 
improve the effectiveness of the screening of vehicles, persons, and 
cargo at land ports of entry that may be at higher risk of being 
related to transnational criminal organization activity. Upon issuance 
of such strategy, the Secretary shall brief the Committee on Homeland 
Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate regarding such 
strategy.
    (c) Integrated Border Intelligence Analytical Cell.--The Secretary 
of Homeland Security shall establish within the National Targeting 
Center of U.S. Customs and Border Protection an integrated border 
intelligence analytical cell focused on sharing information regarding 
potential concentrated surges of migrants arriving at the land borders 
of the United States, and smuggling or trafficking that may pose a 
border security, homeland security, or other threat to the land borders 
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 or traffic fentanyl or other illicit goods across the 
        land border of the United States.
            (3) Support Federal efforts to dismantle or disrupt 
        smuggling and trafficking routes along the land border of the 
        United States.
            (4) Report on information circulated by transnational 
        criminal organizations and other malicious actors to encourage 
        illicit migrant travel to the United States.
            (5) Develop other related intelligence products that 
        support the Department's border security operations.
    (d) 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, countries in Central America and South America, and other 
appropriate countries to combat smuggling and trafficking of people, 
fentanyl, fentanyl chemical precursors, or related equipment and 
material within such countries, including through the following:
            (1) Expansion of transnational criminal investigative units 
        to identify, disrupt, dismantle, and prosecute transnational 
        criminal organization activity.
            (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) Expansion of advanced training programs for 
        investigators and prosecutors from Canada, Mexico, countries in 
        Central America and South America, and other appropriate 
        countries.
            (4) Increase of capacity-building efforts to support 
        international partners in improving the ability of such 
        partners to detect and interdict fentanyl, fentanyl chemical 
        precursors, and related equipment and material originating from 
        or transiting through their territories.
    (e) Fentanyl Interdiction and Supply Chain Disruption.--The 
Secretary of Homeland Security shall seek to strengthen intelligence 
sharing operations with Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial 
agencies involved in prevention, detection, and interdiction of 
fentanyl, fentanyl chemical precursors, and other related equipment and 
material to enhance efforts to disrupt and dismantle supply chains for 
such illicit drugs and equipment and material.
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