I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 6170 

To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to cease all immigration functions at ports of entry along the southern border until the United 

States is secure, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 1, 2023 

Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas (for himself, Mr. COLLINS, Mr. BIGGS, Mr. NORMAN, 

Mr. BABIN, Mr. BAIRD, Mr. SELF, Mr. BURGESS, Mr. OGLES, and Mr. 

WEBER of Texas) 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 direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to cease all 

immigration functions at ports of entry along the southern border until the United States is secure, 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 Security and 

5 Terrorism Prevention Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. SOUTHERN BORDER CLOSURE. 

2 (a) CESSATION OF ALL IMMIGRATION FUNCTIONS AT

3 SOUTHWEST BORDER.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland 

5 Security shall take such actions as may be necessary 

6 to immediately cease immigration functions de7 scribed in paragraph (2) at ports of entry along the 

8 southern border. 

9 (2) IMMIGRATION FUNCTIONS DESCRIBED.— 

10 The immigration functions described in this para11 graph are the following: 

12 (A) The processing of aliens into the 

13 United States who seek entry at the southwest 

14 border. 

15 (B) The processing of aliens into the 

16 United States who unlawfully cross into the 

17 United States. 

18 (b) DETENTION AND REMOVAL.—The Secretary of 

19 Homeland Security, acting through the Commissioner of 

20 U.S. Customs and Border Protection, shall immediately 

21 detain aliens apprehended along the southwest border and 

22 expediently remove such aliens from the United States. 

23 (c) CERTIFICATION.—The cessation under subsection 

24 (a) shall terminate 15 days after the date on which the 

25 Secretary of Homeland Security submits to Congress a 

26 certification that no individuals included on the terrorist 


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1 screening database are able to enter the United States at 

2 any point along the southern border. 

3 (d) REPORT.—The Secretary of Homeland Security 

4 shall submit to Congress a report that— 

5 (1) identifies security risks and capability gaps 

6 along the southwest border; 

7 (2) includes information relating to efforts by 

8 U.S. Customs and Border Protection to— 

9 (A) prevent terrorists and instruments of 

10 terror from entering the United States; and 

11 (B) combat and reduce cross-border crimi12 nal activity, including— 

13 (i) the transport of illegal goods, such 

14 as illicit drugs; and 

15 (ii) human smuggling and human 

16 trafficking; and 

17 (3) includes a plan to ensure all aliens appre18 hended at ports of entry are cross-referenced against 

19 the terrorist screening database and immediately de20 tained and not released until a match determination 

21 is acquired. 

22 (e) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘terrorist 

23 screening database’’ has the meaning given such term in 


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1 section 2101 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 

2 U.S.C. 621). 

Æ 


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