H.R. 4765: Securing our Border Act

The Securing Our Border Act aims to enhance border security in the United States through a series of funding reallocations and modifications to immigration procedures. Here’s a breakdown of the main components of the bill:

Funding for Nonintrusive Border Inspections

The bill allocates one-third of the unspent funds from the IRS enforcement account to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This funding is designated for implementing nonintrusive inspection systems at northern and southwestern land border ports. The goal is to achieve a 100% scanning rate of vehicles crossing the borders by February 6, 2034.

Funding for Border Wall Construction

Two-thirds of the unspent funds from the IRS enforcement account will be directed to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for constructing a border wall system along the southwest border. This funding will also extend until February 6, 2034. The Secretary of Homeland Security is required to submit quarterly reports to key Congressional committees detailing progress, plans, and cost estimates associated with the border wall construction.

Bonuses for U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agents

The bill provides authority to offer financial bonuses to CBP agents to incentivize recruitment and retention. The possible bonuses include:

• Recruitment Bonuses: Up to $15,000 for newly hired agents after successful completion of training and under certain conditions.
• Retention Bonuses: Up to 15% of an agent’s basic pay for satisfactory service each year.
• Relocation Bonuses: Up to 15% of an agent’s annual pay for those agreeing to transfer to difficult duty stations for a three-year term.

These bonuses are not considered part of an agent's basic pay for purposes such as retirement calculations.

Treatment of Aliens at the Border

The bill modifies the procedure for handling individuals arriving at the border from neighboring countries. Under the changes, such individuals must be either returned to the neighboring territory or to a safe third country while their asylum applications are processed. Alternatively, they may be detained for further consideration of their claim, which includes a credible fear assessment.

Findings Justifying the Bill

The bill states several findings to support its provisions, including:

• The importance of border security for national welfare and the safe flow of goods and people.
• High estimated drug overdose deaths and the limited use of inspection technology, which leads to increased trafficking of narcotics.
• The significant number of encounters with potential threats at the border and an ongoing backlog in immigration court cases.
• The necessity for additional CBP agents to fully staff border ports.

Overall Purpose

The overall intent of the bill is to bolster border security through improved technology for inspections, increased manpower with incentives for hiring and retaining CBP agents, and more stringent processing of individuals arriving at the border. The measured focus on both infrastructure and human resources aims to address the challenges of illegal immigration and drug trafficking while enhancing national security.

Relevant Companies

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