[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 725 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 725

To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to make grants to certain 
border communities for the purpose of reimbursing such communities for 
  expenses related to security measures along the United States land 
              border with Mexico, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 1, 2023

   Mr. Jackson of Texas (for himself, Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. Burgess, Mr. 
LaMalfa, Mr. Moran, and Mr. Bacon) introduced the following bill; which 
           was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to make grants to certain 
border communities for the purpose of reimbursing such communities for 
  expenses related to security measures along the United States land 
              border with Mexico, 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 ``Reimbursing Border Communities Act 
of 2023''.

SEC. 2. BORDER COMMUNITY REIMBURSEMENT GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Subject to the availability of appropriations, the 
Secretary of Homeland Security shall make grants to certain border 
communities for the purpose of reimbursing such communities for 
expenses related to security measures along the United States land 
border with Mexico, including additional wages for local law 
enforcement providing security for such border.
    (b) Eligibility.--To be eligible for a grant under this section, a 
border community--
            (1) shall be a unit of local government located in the 
        United States within 200 miles of the land border with Mexico;
            (2) shall submit to the Secretary of Homeland Security an 
        application in such form, at such time, and containing such 
        information as the Secretary determines appropriate; and
            (3) may not be a sanctuary jurisdiction.
    (c) Grant Amount.--A grant made under subsection (a) may not exceed 
$500,000 for each fiscal year.
    (d) Limitation on Use of Funds.--Any grant awarded under this 
section may not be used to reimburse nonprofit organizations, to fund 
legal representation, or to provide educational, housing, food, or 
healthcare resources to an alien.
    (e) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act and annually thereafter through 2033, the 
Secretary, acting through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection, shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report that includes--
            (1) information relating to the--
                    (A) use of each grant made under subsection (a); 
                and
                    (B) implementation of this section; and
            (2) any recommendations of the Secretary for improving the 
        implementation of this section, including with respect to the 
        amount of funding provided to each recipient of a grant under 
        this section.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``sanctuary jurisdiction'' means a State or 
        unit of local government that--
                    (A) violates section 642 of the Illegal Immigration 
                Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 
                U.S.C. 1373);
                    (B) restricts compliance with a detainer issued by 
                the Secretary of Homeland Security (or the Secretary's 
                designee); or
                    (C) has any law or policy in effect that violates 
                the immigration laws.
            (2) The term ``alien'' has the meaning given such term in 
        section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
        1101).
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2034 to 
carry out this section.
    (h) Conditional Limitation on Secretary.--The Secretary of Homeland 
Security may not use Federal funds for travel, except for travel to and 
along the United States land border with Mexico if--
            (1) funds are appropriated to carry out this section; and
            (2) the Secretary fails to implement the program under this 
        section before the date that is 180 days after the 
        appropriation of such funds.
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