March 26, 2025
Ms. Hassan (for herself and Mr. Lankford) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to enhance capabilities for outbound inspections at the southern land border, 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 Enhancing Southbound Inspections to Combat Cartels Act
.
Sec. 2. Definitions
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees
The term appropriate congressional committees means—
(A)
the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(B)
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
(C)
the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
(D)
the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives;
(E)
the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives; and
(F)
the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives.
(2) Southern border
The term Southern Border means the international land border between the United States and Mexico.
Sec. 3. Additional inspection equipment and infrastructure
(a) Imaging systems
The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is authorized—
(1)
to purchase up to 50 additional non-intrusive imaging systems; and
(2)
to procure additional associated supporting infrastructure.
(b) Deployment
The systems and infrastructure purchased or otherwise procured pursuant to subsection (a) shall be deployed along the Southern Border for the primary purpose of inspecting any persons, conveyances, or modes of transportation traveling from the United States to Mexico.
(c) Alternative equipment
The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is authorized to procure additional infrastructure or alternative inspection equipment that the Commissioner deems necessary for the purpose of inspecting any persons, conveyances, or modes of transportation traveling from the United States to Mexico.
(d) Sunset
Subsections (a) and (c) shall cease to have force and effect beginning on the date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Sec. 4. Additional Homeland Security Investigations personnel for investigations of southbound smuggling
(a) HSI special agents
The Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall hire, train, and assign—
(1)
not fewer than 100 new Homeland Security Investigations special agents to primarily assist with investigations involving the smuggling of currency and firearms from the United States to Mexico; and
(2)
not fewer than 100 new Homeland Security Investigations special agents to assist with investigations involving the smuggling of contraband, human trafficking and smuggling (including that of children), drug smuggling, and unauthorized entry into the United States from Mexico.
(b) Support staff
The Director is authorized to hire, train, and assign such additional support staff as may be necessary to support the functions carried out by the special agents hired pursuant to subsection (a).
Sec. 5. Report
(a) In general
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that—
(1)
identifies the resources provided, including equipment, personnel, and infrastructure, and the annual budget to carry out outbound and inbound inspections, including, to the extent practicable, resources specifically used for inspections of any individuals and modes of transportation—
(A)
from the United States to Mexico or to Canada; and
(B)
from Mexico or Canada into the United States;
(2)
describes the operational cadence of all outbound and inbound inspections of individuals and conveyances traveling from the United States to Mexico or to Canada and from Mexico or Canada into the United States, described as a percentage of total encounters or as the total number of inspections conducted;
(3)
describes any plans that would allow for the use of alternative inspection sites near a port of entry;
(4)
includes an estimate of—
(A)
the number of vehicles and conveyances that can be inspected with up to 50 additional non-intrusive imaging systems dedicated to southbound inspections; and
(B)
the number of vehicles and conveyances that can be inspected with up to 50 additional non-intrusive imaging systems that may be additionally dedicated to inbound inspections along the southwest border; and
(5)
assesses the capability of inbound inspections by authorities of the Government of Mexico, in cooperation with United States law enforcement agencies, to detect and interdict the flow of illicit weapons and currency being smuggled—
(A)
from the United States to Mexico; and
(B)
from Mexico into the United States.
(b) Classification
The report submitted pursuant to subsection (a), or any part of such report, may be classified or provided with other appropriate safeguards to prevent public dissemination.
Sec. 6. Minimum mandatory southbound inspection requirement
(a) Requirement
Not later than March 30, 2027, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that not fewer than 10 percent of all conveyances and other modes of transportation traveling from the United States to Mexico are inspected before leaving the United States.
(b) Authorized inspection activities
Inspections required under subsection (a) may include non-intrusive imaging, physical inspections by officers or canine units, or other means authorized by the Secretary of Homeland Security.
(c) Report on additional inspections capabilities
Not later than March 30, 2028, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that assesses the Department of Homeland Security’s timeline and resource requirements for increasing inspection rates to 15 and 20 percent, respectively, of all conveyances and modes of transportation traveling from the United States to Mexico.
Sec. 7. Currency and firearms seizures quarterly report
(a) In general
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 90 days thereafter until the date that is 4 years after such date of enactment, the Commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that describes the seizure of currency, firearms, and ammunition attempted to be trafficked out of the United States.
(b) Contents
Each report submitted pursuant to subsection (a) shall include, for the most recent 90-day period for which such information is available—
(1)
the total number of currency seizures that occurred from outbound inspections at United States ports of entry;
(2)
the total dollar amount associated with the currency seizures referred to in paragraph (1);
(3)
the total number of firearms seized from outbound inspections at United States ports of entry;
(4)
the total number of ammunition rounds seized from outbound inspections at United States ports of entry; and
(5)
the total number of incidents of firearm seizures and ammunition seizures that occurred at United States ports of entry.