Border
Two autonomous surveillance towers added in the Big Bend Sector
The U.S. Border Patrol recently deployed two additional autonomous surveillance towers (ASTs) in the Texas Big Bend Sector to improve border security operations. ASTs detect and monitor movement in remote and rugged terrain. Using artificial intelligence, they have the ability to differentiate... Read More »
CBP officials seize more than $2.1M in cocaine at Eagle Pass Port in Texas
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations officers seized more than $2.1 million in cocaine in a single enforcement action on Wednesday at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry in Eagle Pass, Texas. A CBP officer referred a tractor trailer for secondary inspection at the... Read More »
Advanced Border Coordination Act would enhance law enforcement at southern border
Members of Congress proposed a bipartisan bill Oct. 22 that aims to strengthen law enforcement operations and collaboration at America’s southern border. “For the safety of our communities, we have to restore the rule of law and secure our borders, and DHS [Department of Homeland Security]... Read More »
Pending federal bill aims to improve visa processing
A bipartisan bill under consideration in the U.S. House Judiciary Committee would improve visa processing by reducing the need to mail physical copies of documents that are already submitted electronically, easing the burden on applicants and saving the U.S. State Department time and... Read More »
Committee passes bill to extend Homeland Security Task Force’s authority
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) announced Tuesday that the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee had passed legislation to reauthorize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Joint Task Force’s authority. The bill would extend the task force’s authority for two... Read More »
CBP officers confiscate largest fentanyl seizure in history
On Thursday, officers with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency seized more than half of a ton of fentanyl pills, the largest singular fentanyl seizure in the agency’s history. The seizure of an estimated 4 million pills at the Port of Lukeville, AZ was part of Operation... Read More »
Border agency announces expanded enforcement against transnational criminal organizations
On Monday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced it was expanding enforcement efforts against Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). Troy Miller, senior official performing the duties of Commissioner said the agency would be expanding Operation Plaza Spike to the El Paso and... Read More »
Legislation introduced to strengthen border security support Shadow Wolves agents
On Monday, U.S. Sens. John Hoeven (R-ND) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) introduced legislation to support Shadow Wolves agents and strengthen border security. The legislation, the Shadow Wolves Improvement Act, would provide career mobility opportunities to Shadow Wolves law enforcement officers and... Read More »
House Homeland Security Committee to consider new DHS requirements for U.S.-Canadian border
In introducing the Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act (H.R. 8734) last week, U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY) sought to increase security and attention on the U.S.-Canadian border through several mandates at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The bill, which has 16... Read More »
Bill to establish Northern Border Coordination Center advances through Senate
The Northern Border Coordination Act, authored by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Susan Collins (R-ME), advanced through the Senate this week, carrying with it the possible creation of a federal coordination center to be collocated along the border with Canada. “The Northern Border... Read More »
Senate advances plans for Northern Border Coordination Center
Legislation by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) – Northern Border Coordination Act (S. 2291) – advanced through the chamber this week, putting their ideas for expanding coordination on northern border security into the hands of the House. If passed, the bill would... Read More »
New bill would require U.S. Intelligence agencies to develop cyber safeguards for ports
With the introduction of the Secure Smartports Act, U.S. Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) seek to convince their fellow lawmakers of the danger to U.S. ports posed by Chinese cyberattacks and intrusion. “Every day we don’t understand the risks of relying on Chinese technology is... Read More »
Border Security and Enforcement Block Grant Act proposes federal grant funding for physical border barriers
Through new legislation, U.S. Reps. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Mike Turner (R-OH) recently placed themselves at odds with the Biden administration by seeking to enable federal grant funding for states to create physical barriers at the southern border. A hallmark of the previous Trump... Read More »
U.S. Coast Guard to conduct port security training exercise in Puerto Rico this month
Through an exercise known as Poseidon’s Domain, the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve will take crews from three of its Port Security Units (PSU) and put them to the test along the northeast and eastern coasts of Puerto Rico this month. From April 8 to April 25, crews from PSUs 305, 307, and 309 will... Read More »
Government funding agreement includes $3M allotment to create Northern Border security center
Among the provisions included in the recent $1.2 trillion funding agreement signed by President Joe Biden was a carve-out of $3 million to establish and manage a Northern Border Coordination Center. Championed by U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental... Read More »
DHS trained more than 275,000 people to combat human trafficking in 2023
Last year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reportedly expanded training and education efforts about human trafficking, successfully training more than 275,000 people to recognize the signs and take action. These findings were documents in the recently released Center for... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection extends direct-hire authority for 200 air interdiction agents to 2026
Expedited hiring authority is in place for the induction of 200 air interdiction agents by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and recently, that authority was extended through Jan. 30, 2026. The position is open to pilots with a minimum of 1,500 flight hours, including 250 as... Read More »
Democratic senators call on President Biden to continue stressing border security in next budget request
Undeterred by previous failures to advance border security measures in Congress, a group of Democratic senators recently pressed President Joe Biden to prioritize border security and fentanyl crackdowns in his Fiscal Year 2025 budget request. While a national security package with border... Read More »
Representatives seek data on underground smuggling tunnels in Subterranean Border Defense Act
U.S. Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) introduced this week border security legislation that seeks to focus on countering underground smuggling tunnels. The Subterranean Border Defense Act (H.R.7404) would specifically push for annual reports to Congress on efforts made to counteract illicit cross-border... Read More »
Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act proposes border changes, appropriations for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan
With the introduction of the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act recently, a bipartisan mix of representatives are pushing for year-long authorities to secure the United States-Mexico border and provide $66.32 billion for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. This latest attempt to both solve... Read More »
CBP recruitment incentives reach as high as $30,000 for new border patrol agents
As a way to fill gaps in its ranks, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently upped its recruitment incentives for agents to as much as $30,000 for those who entered duty on or after Jan. 8, 2024. Additional incentives were also potentially offered for applicants who took on... Read More »
Bill to stop fentanyl from crossing the border introduced
On Tuesday, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA), Bob Casey and Mark Kelly (both D-AZ) introduced legislation to address the fentanyl crisis by stopping it at the southern border. The legislation, the Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act, would increase staffing capacity, as well as add technology to... Read More »
Colorado delegation urges FEMA to increase support for those assisting migrant arrivals
With more than 32,000 migrant arrivals in the city of Denver alone as of December 2023, federal Democratic lawmakers from Colorado have called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to increase support for cities and nonprofits assisting those migrants. In a letter, the lawmakers –... Read More »
TSA partners with Amtrak, Transport Canada for international exercise on cross-border system threats
In a first for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the agency joined an exercise in Canada with Amtrak and Transport Canada last week to address surface and critical infrastructure threats to cross border systems. They held an exercise scenario developed by TSA’s Surface... Read More »
Sen. Brown urges passage of legislation sanctioning wide-reaching illicit fentanyl supply chain
While the Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act has made it into the National Defense bill, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) this week publicly pressed for its enactment and called on the Biden administration for more resources to counter illicit drugs. FEND Off... Read More »
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Legare returns from nearly 10-week deployment securing maritime borders
After 73 days on patrol, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Legare returned to Virginia last week, concluding a mission that took it from oil discharge response to interdictions of unlawful migrant vessels. In ranging from the Windward Passage to the South Florida Straits, the vessel covered more than... Read More »
Senate Republicans introduce proposal to secure Southern border
On Monday, U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and James Lankford (R-OK) unveiled a proposal to secure the country’s southern border. The group said their proposal would address policies that have led to a crisis at the southern border. Drawn from H.R. 2, the proposal would... Read More »
DHS to add nearly 65,000 H-2B visas in 2024
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Friday it would make nearly 65,000 H-2B visas available in Fiscal Year 2024. The temporary nonagricultural worker visas will add to the 66,000 H-2B visas mandated by Congress each year. According to DHS, the additional visas represent the... Read More »
U.S. Reps. McCaul, Gallego ask House for greater funding for first responders dealing with migrants
In a letter to the House Appropriation Committee this week, U.S. Reps. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) urged leadership to include funding for first responder aid programs in any FY 2024 supplemental appropriations to support those affected by immigration. “Increased operations... Read More »
Internal memo leak from DHS prompts document demand from House Homeland Security Republicans
After an internal memo from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warning that foreign fighters from the Israel-Hamas conflict could be encountered at the southwest border leaked to the press, House Republicans demanded documents and information from Department Secretary Alejandro... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection updates strategy to combat fentanyl, synthetic drugs
According to an updated approach released last week by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remains focused on the opioid epidemic while reckoning with an ever-changing landscape. CBP planted its focus firmly around four areas: ... Read More »
Advanced Border Coordination Act seeks improvements to communication along U.S.-Mexico border
The United States-Mexico remains a focus of Congressional interest, and the latest offshoot of that emerged this week in the form of the Senate’s Advanced Border Coordination Act, which aims to improve law enforcement communication and coordination. “From local sheriffs to Border Patrol and... Read More »
BEST Facilitation Act introduced to speed up cargo screenings at ports of entry
With the bicameral introduction of the Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act (H.R. 5990) last week, supporters seek to allot for a series of new image technicians within Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to expedite screenings at U.S. ports of entry. Created by U.S.... Read More »
DHS Science and Technology Directorate calls for innovative approaches to targeting illegal cargo
With an eye on both inbound and outbound cargo, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) issued a request for information (RFI) last week to call up new approaches to targeting illegal cargo and aiding delivery of legitimate cargo. "Researching and... Read More »