I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1437 

To establish a Southern Border Security Task Force to coordinate the efforts 

of Federal, State, and local border and law enforcement officials and 

task forces to protect United States border cities and communities from 

violence associated with drug trafficking, gunrunning, illegal alien smuggling, violence, and kidnapping along and across the international border 

between the United States and Mexico. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 11, 2009 

Mr. CUELLAR introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on the 

Judiciary, 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 establish a Southern Border Security Task Force to 

coordinate the efforts of Federal, State, and local border 

and law enforcement officials and task forces to protect 

United States border cities and communities from violence associated with drug trafficking, gunrunning, illegal 

alien smuggling, violence, and kidnapping along and 

across the international border between the United 

States and Mexico. 

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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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Southern Border Secu3 rity Task Force Act of 2009’’. 

4 SEC. 2. SOUTHERN BORDER SECURITY TASK FORCE. 

5 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 

6 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

7 Homeland Security shall establish a Southern Border Se8 curity Task Force (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Task 

9 Force’’) to coordinate the efforts of Federal, State, and 

10 local border and law enforcement officials and task forces 

11 to protect United States border cities and communities 

12 from violence associated with drug trafficking, 

13 gunrunning, illegal alien smuggling, violence, and kidnap14 ping along and across the international border between the 

15 United States and Mexico. 

16 (b) COMPOSITION AND DEPLOYMENT.— 

17 (1) COMPOSITION.—The Task Force shall be 

18 comprised of personnel from— 

19 (A) United States Customs and Border 

20 Protection; 

21 (B) United States Immigration and Cus22 toms Enforcement; 

23 (C) the Coast Guard; 

24 (D) other Federal agencies, as appropriate; 

25 (E) southern border State law enforcement 

26 agencies; and 


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1 (F) local law enforcement agencies from 

2 affected southern border cities and commu3 nities. 

4 (2) DEPLOYMENT.—The Secretary of Home5 land Security shall deploy the Task Force along the 

6 international border between the United States and 

7 Mexico in cities and communities most affected by 

8 violence, as determined by the Secretary. 

9 (c) DIRECTOR.—The Secretary of Homeland Security 

10 shall appoint as a Director of the Task Force an individual 

11 who is experienced and knowledgeable in law enforcement 

12 generally and border security issues specifically. 

13 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 

14 of the establishment of the Task Force under subsection 

15 (a) and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland 

16 Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Se17 curity of the House of Representatives and the Committee 

18 on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 

19 Senate a report on the effectiveness of the Task Force 

20 in reducing the drug trafficking, gunrunning, illegal alien 

21 smuggling, violence, and kidnapping along and across the 

22 international border between the United States and Mex23 ico as measured by crime statistics, including violent 

24 deaths, incidents of violence, and drug related arrests. 


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1 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

2 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Home3 land Security $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 

4 through 2014— 

5 (1) to establish and operate the Task Force, in6 cluding to provide for operational, administrative, 

7 and technological costs to Federal, State, and local 

8 law enforcement agencies participating in the Task 

9 Force; and 

10 (2) to investigate, apprehend, and prosecute in11 dividuals engaged in drug trafficking, gunrunning, 

12 illegal alien smuggling, violence, and kidnapping 

13 along and across the international border between 

14 the United States and Mexico. 

Æ 


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