I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 761 

To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 

to establish a grant program to reimburse individuals for loss or damage 

to property near the southern border of the United States caused by 

an individual illegally crossing the border, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 2, 2023 

Mrs. BICE (for herself, Mr. CRENSHAW, Mr. TONY GONZALES of Texas, Mr. 

FALLON, and Mr. JACKSON of Texas) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to 

the Committee on Appropriations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to establish a grant program to reimburse individuals for loss or damage to property near 

the southern border of the United States caused by an 

individual illegally crossing the border, 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, 


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•HR 761 IH

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Securing American 

3 Families from Exploitation at the Border Act’’ or the 

4 ‘‘SAFE Border Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

6 In this Act: 

7 (1) IMPACTED PARTY.—The term ‘‘impacted 

8 party’’ means an individual who— 

9 (A) owns real property within, the border 

10 zone; and 

11 (B) has experienced property theft or prop12 erty damage on the property, as applicable, by 

13 an individual illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico 

14 border. 

15 (2) AT-RISK PARTY.—The term ‘‘at-risk party’’ 

16 means an individual who— 

17 (A) owns property within the border zone 

18 that does not have a bollard-style border barrier 

19 that is adjacent to such property; and 

20 (B) reasonably believes to be at risk of ex21 periencing property theft or property damage 

22 on the property, as applicable, by an individual 

23 illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. 

24 (3) BORDER ZONE.—The term ‘‘border zone’’ 

25 means the area of the United States that is within 

26 10 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border. 


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1 SEC. 3. SOUTHERN BORDER LANDOWNER SECURITY GRANT 

2 PROGRAM. 

3 The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Man4 agement Agency shall establish a grant program to be 

5 known as the Southern Border Landowner Security Grant 

6 Program to provide grants to impacted parties to cover 

7 losses or damage to property and to at-risk parties to im8 prove the security of certain property. 

9 SEC. 4. GRANTS TO IMPACTED PARTIES. 

10 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator may provide 

11 grants under this Act to an impacted party to cover loss 

12 or damages not otherwise covered by insurance to the im13 pacted property if such party certifies, to the satisfaction 

14 of the Administrator, that the property— 

15 (1) was located in the border zone at the time 

16 such loss or damage occurred; and 

17 (2) the loss or damage was caused by an indi18 vidual illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. 

19 (b) APPLICATION.—To be eligible for a grant under 

20 this section, an impacted party shall submit to the Admin21 istrator an application that includes documentation of the 

22 loss or damage and an estimate of the value of such loss 

23 or an estimate of the cost to repair such damage. 

24 SEC. 5. GRANTS TO AT-RISK PARTIES. 

25 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator may provide 

26 grants under this Act to an at-risk party to improve the 


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1 physical security of property located within the border 

2 zone if such party certifies, to the satisfaction of the Ad3 ministrator, that the party reasonably believes that the 

4 property of such party is at risk of loss or damage caused 

5 by an individual illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. 

6 (b) REPORT ON USE OF FUNDS.—Not later than 290 

7 days after an at-risk party receives funds under this sec8 tion, such party shall submit to the Administrator docu9 mentation on how the party spends such funds. Any funds 

10 that remain unspent on the day on which such documenta11 tion is submitted shall be returned to the Administrator 

12 for further provision under this section. 

13 SEC. 6. FUNDING. 

14 (a) TRANSFER OF FUNDS.—Of the funds appro15 priated under the heading ‘‘Procurement, Construction, 

16 and Improvement’’ for use by the U.S. Customs and Bor17 der Patrol that are unobligated and unexpended as of the 

18 date of enactment of this Act, $75,000,000 shall be trans19 ferred to the Administrator to provide grants under this 

20 Act. 

21 (b) FISCAL YEAR LIMITATION.—Of the funds trans22 ferred under subsection (a), the Administrator may ex23 pend $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 

24 2024. 


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1 (c) LIMITATION ON GRANT AMOUNT.—An individual 

2 may not receive more than a total of $25,000 under this 

3 section for fiscal years 2022 through 2024. 

4 SEC. 7. REGULATIONS. 

5 The Administrator may issues such regulations as are 

6 necessary to carry out this Act, including— 

7 (1) requirements that applicants for funds 

8 under this Act submit evidentiary documentation, in9 cluding property deeds, police reports, insurance cov10 erage documentation, and other documentation con11 sidered appropriate by the Administrator; 

12 (2) a review process conducted by the Adminis13 trator or the inspector general of the Agency to re14 view applications annually for waste, fraud, and 

15 abuse; and 

16 (3) the applicable penalties for fraudulent 

17 claims or false statements. 

18 SEC. 8. SUNSET. 

19 The authority to provide grants under this Act shall 

20 cease on the last date of fiscal year 2026. Any funds that 

21 have not been obligated under this section before that date 

22 shall be transferred to the heading ‘‘Procurement, Con23 struction, and Improvement’’ for use by the U.S. Customs 

24 and Border Patrol. 

Æ 


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