[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6392 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6392

   To establish a Department of Homeland Security integrated border 
      intelligence analytical cell and Joint Task Force to combat 
   transnational criminal organizations exploiting migration surges, 
     strengthen cross-border partnerships, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 13, 2023

Ms. Slotkin (for herself and Mr. Duarte) 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 establish a Department of Homeland Security integrated border 
      intelligence analytical cell and Joint Task Force to combat 
   transnational criminal organizations exploiting migration surges, 
     strengthen cross-border partnerships, 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 ``Border Security and Migrant Safety 
Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. BORDER SECURITY AND MIGRANT SAFETY.

    (a) DHS Integrated Border Intelligence Analytical Cell.--The 
Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish within the National 
Targeting Center of U.S. Customs and Border Protection a dedicated 
intelligence cell focused on sharing information regarding concentrated 
surges of migrants arriving at the land border of the United States, 
and illicit smuggling and trafficking that may pose a border security, 
homeland security, public health, or other threat to the land border 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 narcotics and other illicit goods across the land 
        border of the United States.
            (3) Support Federal efforts to dismantle or disrupt illicit 
        smuggling and trafficking along the land border of the United 
        States.
            (4) Report on communications by transnational criminal 
        organizations and other malicious actors that seek to encourage 
        illicit migrant travel to the United States.
            (5) Develop other related intelligence products that 
        support the Department's border security operations.
    (b) Department of Homeland Security Joint Task Force To Combat 
Transnational Criminal Organizations Exploiting Migration Surges.--
            (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 departmental Joint Task Force to 
        conduct operations using personnel and capabilities of the 
        Department of Homeland Security to combat human trafficking and 
        smuggling along the land border 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 and 
                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) 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 combat 
        human trafficking and smuggling across the land border of the 
        United States, 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.
            (3) 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 of Homeland 
        Security 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.
            (4) 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.
            (5) 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.
            (6) Repeal of sunset.--Paragraph (13) of section 708(b) of 
        the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is repealed.
    (c) 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, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador to combat human smuggling 
and trafficking in such countries, including through the following:
            (1) Expansion of transnational criminal investigative units 
        to identify, disrupt, dismantle, and prosecute human smuggling 
        and trafficking operations.
            (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) Advanced training programs for investigators and 
        prosecutors from such countries.
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