I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5468 

To provide for U.S. Border Patrol Processing Coordinators to enhance border 

security, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 17, 2019 

Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico (for herself, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. MCCAUL, 

Mr. HURD of Texas, Mr. PETERS, and Mr. CLOUD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 

A BILL 

To provide for U.S. Border Patrol Processing Coordinators 

to enhance border security, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Border Workforce Effi5 ciency Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. U.S. BORDER PATROL PROCESSING COORDINATOR 

7 POSITIONS. 

8 (a) PROCESSING COORDINATORS.—The Commis9 sioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is authorVerDate Sep 11 2014 18:47 Dec 27, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5468.IH H5468

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1 ized to hire and train U.S. Border Patrol Processing Coor2 dinators to operate within the U.S. Border Patrol to— 

3 (1) perform administrative tasks related to the 

4 intake and processing of individuals apprehended by 

5 U.S. Border Patrol agents, where necessary; 

6 (2) transport individuals in U.S. Border Patrol 

7 custody, where necessary; and 

8 (3) perform custodial watch duties of individ9 uals in such custody, including individuals who have 

10 been admitted to a hospital. 

11 (b) CLARIFIED AUTHORITIES.—A U.S. Border Pa12 trol Processing Coordinator hired under subsection (a) 

13 may not arrest or otherwise detain any person as described 

14 in section 235, 236, or 287(a), of the Immigration and 

15 Nationality Act and such a Coordinator may not conduct 

16 any interview under section 235(b)(1)(B) of the Immigra17 tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1225(b)(1)(B)). 

18 (c) TRAINING.—The Commissioner of U.S. Customs 

19 and Border Protection, in coordination with the Chief of 

20 the U.S. Border Patrol and in consultation with the Direc21 tor of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, 

22 shall develop tailored training for U.S. Border Patrol 

23 Processing Coordinators. 

24 (d) ASSOCIATED SUPPORT STAFF.—The Commis25 sioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is authorVerDate Sep 11 2014 18:47 Dec 27, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5468.IH H5468

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1 ized to hire appropriate professional support staff to facili2 tate the hiring, training, and other support functions re3 quired by U.S. Border Patrol Processing Coordinators. 

4 (e) BIANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 180 days 

5 after the date of the enactment of this Act and biannually 

6 thereafter for the following two years, the Secretary of 

7 Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee on 

8 Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and 

9 the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 

10 Affairs of the Senate a report regarding each U.S. Border 

11 Patrol sector that includes information relating to the fol12 lowing: 

13 (1) The number of U.S. Border Patrol Proc14 essing Coordinators assigned to each such sector. 

15 (2) The degree to which the responsibilities de16 scribed in subsection (a) have been transferred from 

17 U.S. Border Patrol agents to U.S. Border Patrol 

18 Processing Coordinators. 

19 (3) The percentage of U.S. Border Patrol 

20 agents who returned to field operations as a result 

21 of U.S. Border Patrol Processing Coordinators un22 dertaking the responsibilities described in subsection 

23 (a). 


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1 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

2 authorized to be appropriated $19,000,000 for each of fis3 cal years 2020 through 2023 to carry out this Act. 

Æ 


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