Reps. Torres Small, Crenshaw introduce bill to enhance border security

U.S. Reps. Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM) and Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) introduced a bill to improve border security through enhanced detection technology at land ports of entry.

The Securing America’s Ports Act seeks to increase the scanning rates of vehicles entering the United States by land with non-intrusive inspection (NII) systems. Recent studies show that the majority of drugs smuggled into the country come through land ports of entry.

“Our community relies upon a vibrant, secure border and Congress must prioritize the safety of the residents who call it home. By leveraging this effective technology to examine most vehicles, we help CBP officers work smarter and faster in detecting contraband while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel border states depend on,” Torres Small, chair of the Oversight, Management and Accountability Subcommittee, said.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents use these systems to inspect commercial and passenger vehicles for potential contraband, such as drugs and guns, without physically opening or unloading it. However, CBP currently scans 15 percent of commercial trucks and one percent of passenger vehicles entering the U.S. This bill would foster more widespread use of this technology. Congress appropriated $570 million for the Department of Homeland Security’s use of NII systems at ports of entry.

“As the frontline of defense against terrorists and traffickers trying to enter our country, Customs and Border Protection has an incredibly important job. It is our job as members of the Homeland Security Committee to ensure CBP has the resources it needs to successfully do its job. Because NII has proven to be an effective and efficient tool for CBP, it’s important we implement use of this technology at every land port of entry for every vehicle seeking to enter the U.S,” Crenshaw, ranking member on the committee, said

Specifically, the bill seeks to increase CBP’s NII scanning rates to 100 percent of commercial and passenger vehicles at all land ports of entry. Further, the bill calls for annual status reports to Congress regarding efforts to implement the 100 percent NII plan. Also, it calls for a one-year pilot program to improve the utilization of NII.