March 6, 2025
Ms. Johnson of Texas (for herself, Mr. Case, Mr. Levin, Mr. Veasey, and Mr. Stanton) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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
To require an assessement of CBP and ICE staffing at the southern border, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Border Workforce Improvement Act
.
Sec. 2. Assessment on DHS staffing needs at the southern border
(a) Study
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), shall conduct an assessment of staffing needs at the southern border of the United States.
(b) Elements
The assessment under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
Reviews of existing staffing models and methodologies for deploying personnel of CBP, ICE, and USCIS at the southern border and across the country, and the effect of continuously relying on details and overtime to temporarily fill staffing gaps.
(2)
Factors within and outside of the control of the Department of Homeland Security that are affecting workloads and exacerbating staffing challenges to identify solutions CBP, ICE, and USCIS can accomplish, as well as solutions that require congressional action.
(3)
An identification of critical capability gaps in human resources, new technology integration, and streamlined risk management systems across CBP, ICE, and USCIS.
(c) Report
Not later than 180 days after the date on which the assessment under subsection (a) is complete, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that includes the following:
(1)
The findings of such assessment.
(2)
A description of how the Secretary, the Commissioner of CBP, the Director of ICE, and the Director of USCIS should implement the recommendations contained in such assessment.
(d) Appropriate congressional committees defined
In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees
means—
(1)
the Committee of Homeland Security and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
(2)
the Committee of Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.