Border
Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee achieved a major goal last week when they advanced the Border Reinforcement Act of 2023 (H.R. 2794) out of committee and to the House floor to revamp border security and stymie Biden administration changes.
“This legislation takes a targeted... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), current member and former chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, current Chairman Mark Green (R-TN), and GOP committee members introduced the Border Reinforcement Act of 2023, which seeks to bolster southern border security.
“As chairman... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Todd Young (R-IN), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and eight colleagues are espousing the benefits of reintroducing the Stop Fentanyl Border Crossings Act.
Specifically, the legislation adds drug smuggling as an additional basis for Title 42 immigration enforcement authority, preserving for... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently introduced a resolution commending the U.S. Coast Guard for border response and ability to adapt and respond to increased maritime threats.
Officials said 17 lawmakers served as resolution co-sponsors, detailing Coast Guard efforts to safeguard the American people... Read More »
In a letter dispatched to the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week, 52 House members responded to a recent proposal to increase fees and processing time for H-2A and H-2B visa proposals, blasting the idea as detrimental to businesses.
A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking... Read More »
A hearing convened by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee this week put Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas under the spotlight, seeking answers to what his Department needs to secure and operate borders and counter threats... Read More »
This week, a new solicitation from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) this week sought new Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) Anomaly Detection Algorithm solutions to increase inspection efficacy and reduce review times, and support analysis by CBP officers.
CBP’s goal for these... Read More »
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel are touting Operation Blue Lotus, which has, in collaboration with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), disrupted synthetic drug trafficking.
Operation Four Horsemen, the U.S. Border Patrol’s... Read More »
Enhancements to the Central American Minors (CAM) program would provide alternatives to perilous and irregular border migration, according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of State officials.
The CAM program enables certain individuals in the United States to request... Read More »
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently issued new guidance to address bolstered supply chain disruption initiatives.
Cyber Incident Guidance for Customs Brokers would aid customs brokers in preparation, response, and recovery regarding cyberattacks, from proactively installing... Read More »
The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) along with the Air and Marine Operations (AMO) intercepted a vessel transporting cocaine in waters along northern Puerto Rico.
The agencies seized 1,455 pounds of cocaine valued at approximately $15.1 million and arrested four non-citizens from the... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently commended the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's advancement of the IMPACTT Human Trafficking Act, which supports individuals impacted by human trafficking.
The bill introduced by Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), James Lankford (R-OK), and John... Read More »
After five interdictions by various vessels in international waters, the Coast Guard Cutter Waesche reportedly unloaded more than 6,325 pounds of cocaine and more than 13,220 pounds of marijuana in San Diego this week, bringing to bear a haul worth more than $166 million.
“The Coast Guard is... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) authorities detailed the recent apprehension efforts of San Diego Sector Imperial Beach Station agents, resulting in encountering 290 illegal border crossing individuals.
The individuals were from more than 30 countries and encountered in less than 13... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials recently announced the thwarting of three recent major narcotics smuggling attempts
worth more than $5.7 million via the San Diego Field Office.
The first seizure involved a driver identified as a 25-year-old female in possession of a valid... Read More »
In its first week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Operation Blue Lotus nabbed more than 900 pounds of fentanyl at the border in a major cooperative effort by federal, state, Tribal, and local partners.
“This Administration has a multi-pronged strategy to combat the scourge... Read More »
In a first for the relations between the United States and Guatemala, the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Justice (DOJ) successfully completed the first extraditions from the South American nation related to charges of human smuggling resulting in death.
“This case demonstrates... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has joined Carnival Cruise Line in launching facial biometric comparison technology for closed-loop cruises.
The Port of Jacksonville, Fla., is the latest seaport to further secure and enhance the debarkation process.
“CBP and Carnival are innovating the... Read More »
U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-SD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), James Lankford (R-OK), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) reintroduced the Reverse Entry for Migrant Offenders and Violence Expulsion (REMOVE) Act, which closes a loophole presently enabling noncitizens convicted of violent crimes to remain in the United... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN) introduced the Eliminating Backlogs Act of 2023 to continue overhauling the U.S. immigration system.
The bill seeks to quickly break through growing piles of work visas, granting more flexibility for the use of existing visas... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials are espousing the benefits of initiating Low Energy Portal (LEP) scanning systems at the El Paso, Texas, Bridge of the Americas international crossing.
“The LEP system will scan arriving traffic, and the imagery generated will be used by CBP to... Read More »
While much attention is paid to the surge of crossings and smuggling at the United States-Mexico border, a coalition of 28 Republicans formed the Northern Border Security Caucus this week to advocate for greater safety at the U.S.-Canada border as well.
While the U.S.-Canada border is the... Read More »
In a bid to help local communities manage the costs of noncitizen arrivals in their area, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will award $350 million through the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP-H).
Allocated under the... Read More »
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is attributing a successful three-year investigation targeting the Sinaloa Drug Cartel to partnerships with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and the Tempe Police Department.
To date, more than 150 individuals have been charged, with investigators having... Read More »
A recently published Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Federal Register Notice is soliciting additional Section 321 Data Pilot
participants, which would aid shipment inspection efforts.
The Section 321 Data Pilot would enable CBP to partner with private sector supply chains to identify and... Read More »
In one of the more unusual discoveries at a United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility last month, agriculture specialists discovered a first-in-nation pest hiding in a shipment of fresh-cut flowers.
The bug, later lab identified as Corimelaena palmeri, was the first intruder of... Read More »
U.S. Sens. John Hoeven (R-MT) and Katie Britt (R-AL) recently proposed legislation they maintain would secure the southern border and keep American communities and families safe.
Hoeven and Britt joined 17 colleagues in co-sponsoring a resolution forcing the Biden administration to acknowledge... Read More »
Although crossing into the United States unlawfully is a crime, some argue financially assisting that crime is only vaguely addressed as a crime itself - so this week, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and several colleagues set out to change that through the No Coyote Cash Act.
“President... Read More »
A coalition of 21 Republican state attorneys general wrote President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week urging them to designate Mexican drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and provide additional federal resources for combating fentanyl.
“The national... Read More »
As part of ongoing bi-national efforts, Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) agents spent Jan. 9-20, 2023, training 13 members of Mexico’s border rescue agency, Grupos Beta, to undertake migrant rescue along the United States-Mexican border.
“It is important that we continue... Read More »
According to the second annual report from the Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT), a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 2022 brought implementation plans for a new victim-centered approach at the agency, along with hundreds of victims aided and thousands of... Read More »
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officials said the agency's newly released FY 2023-2026 Strategic Plan targets strengthened capabilities and aids the nation in attaining its highest ideals.
“The work of USCIS makes the possibility of America a reality for immigrants from... Read More »
According to preliminary figures touted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), new measures deployed by the Biden administration have led to drastic reductions in illegal border crossings in the first month of 2023, setting January up for the lowest levels of monthly border encounters since... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Bob Latta (R-OH), and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) recently introduced the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act, which seeks to permanently schedule fentanyl analogues while granting researchers the ability to conduct fentanyl substance... Read More »
In its latest operational update, covering the final month of 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) figures showed a mix of figures, with overall encounters along the border increasing even as unlawful crossings fell and migration patterns shifted overall.
Large numbers of people... Read More »
