```

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5315 Reported in Senate (RS)]

<DOC>

                                                       Calendar No. 748
118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 5315

                          [Report No. 118-328]

To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to enhance border security 
  by seeking to expand partnerships with appropriate law enforcement 
entities in Mexico and Central American and South American countries to 
 combat human smuggling and trafficking operations in Mexico and such 
                   countries, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 14, 2024

 Mr. Peters (for himself and Mr. Kelly) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
                        and Governmental Affairs

            December 19 (legislative day, December 16), 2024

               Reported by Mr. Peters, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to enhance border security 
  by seeking to expand partnerships with appropriate law enforcement 
entities in Mexico and Central American and South American countries to 
 combat human smuggling and trafficking operations in Mexico and such 
                   countries, and for other purposes.

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

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Cooperation on Combating 
Human Smuggling and Trafficking Act''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PARTNERSHIPS TO COMBAT 
              HUMAN SMUGGLING AND TRAFFICKING.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
coordination with appropriate Federal partners, shall enhance border 
security by seeking to expand partnerships with appropriate law 
enforcement entities in Mexico and Central American and South American 
countries to combat human smuggling and trafficking operations in 
Mexico and such countries, including by--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) establishing or expanding cross-border 
        transnational criminal investigative units to identify, 
        disrupt, and support the prosecution of human smuggling and 
        trafficking operations;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) enhancing participation in the Bilateral Human 
        Trafficking Enforcement Initiative or a successor initiative; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) providing advanced training for certain 
        investigators and prosecutors from Mexico and other Latin 
        American countries.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Investigation and Prosecution of Human Smuggling and 
Trafficking.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall seek to expand 
collaborative programs involving Homeland Security Investigations that 
are aimed at supporting the investigation and prosecution of human 
smugglers and traffickers targeting children and families that pose 
border security threats and operate at the southern land border of the 
United States, including the continuation and expansion of anti-
trafficking coordination teams.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Information Campaign To Deter Migration.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland 
        Security shall carry out targeted public information 
        campaigns--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) to inform targeted migrant populations 
                within Mexico, Central America, South America, and 
                certain other countries with high migration rates 
                regarding the dangers of travel across Mexico to the 
                United States; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) to combat misinformation and 
                disinformation by transnational criminal organizations 
                and other nefarious actors regarding United States laws 
                or policies.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Specifications.--The information campaigns 
        implemented pursuant to paragraph (1) shall, to the greatest 
        extent possible--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) be targeted at populations and 
                localities with high migration rates;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) employ a variety of communications 
                media; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) be developed in consultation with 
                appropriate program officials of the Department of 
                State and, as appropriate, Mexican, Central American, 
                South American, and other appropriate foreign 
                governments, nonprofit or academic entities, and 
                representatives acting on behalf of targeted migrant 
                populations, including repatriated migrants.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Cooperation on Combating Human 
Smuggling and Trafficking Act''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PARTNERSHIPS TO COMBAT HUMAN 
              SMUGGLING AND TRAFFICKING.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
coordination with appropriate Federal partners, shall combat human 
smuggling and trafficking by seeking to expand partnerships with 
appropriate law enforcement entities in Mexico and Central American and 
South American countries, including by--
            (1) establishing or expanding cross-border transnational 
        criminal investigative units to identify, disrupt, and support 
        the prosecution of human smuggling and trafficking operations;
            (2) enhancing participation in the Bilateral Human 
        Trafficking Enforcement Initiative or a successor initiative; 
        and
            (3) providing advanced training for certain investigators 
        and prosecutors from Mexico and such countries, including 
        training on civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy 
        protections.
    (b) Investigation and Prosecution of Human Smuggling and 
Trafficking.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall evaluate and 
report to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 
of the Senate and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
Representatives regarding the potential for the expansion of 
collaborative programs involving Homeland Security Investigations that 
are aimed at supporting the investigation and prosecution of human 
smugglers and traffickers that pose border security threats and operate 
at the southern land border of the United States, including the 
continuation and expansion of anti-trafficking coordination teams.
    (c) Information Campaign to Deter Migration.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
        carry out targeted public information campaigns--
                    (A) to inform targeted migrant populations within 
                Mexico, Central America, South America, and certain 
                other countries with high migration rates regarding the 
                dangers of travel across Mexico to the United States; 
                and
                    (B) to combat misinformation and disinformation by 
                transnational criminal organizations and other 
                nefarious actors regarding United States laws or 
                policies.
            (2) Specifications.--The information campaigns implemented 
        pursuant to paragraph (1) shall, to the greatest extent 
        possible--
                    (A) be targeted at populations and localities with 
                high migration rates;
                    (B) employ a variety of communications media; and
                    (C) be developed in consultation with appropriate 
                program officials of the Department of State and, as 
                appropriate, Mexican, Central American, South American, 
                and other appropriate foreign governments, nonprofit or 
                academic entities, and representatives acting on behalf 
                of targeted migrant populations, including repatriated 
                migrants.
    (d) Report on Effective Communications.--Not later than 1 year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of 
the United States shall--
            (1) conduct a study that--
                    (A) assesses the effectiveness of public 
                information campaigns that have been implemented by the 
                Department of Homeland Security to carry out the 
                objectives set forth in subsection (c)(1); and
                    (B) identifies the best practices with respect to 
                such campaigns; and
            (2) submit a report containing the findings of such study 
        to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 
        of the Senate and the Committee on Homeland Security of the 
        House of Representatives.
                                                       Calendar No. 748

118th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 5315

                          [Report No. 118-328]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to enhance border security 
  by seeking to expand partnerships with appropriate law enforcement 
entities in Mexico and Central American and South American countries to 
 combat human smuggling and trafficking operations in Mexico and such 
                   countries, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

            December 19 (legislative day, December 16), 2024

                       Reported with an amendment
```