Southwest Border Protection Act of 2014

To achieve operational control of the international border between the United States and Mexico through the deployment of members of the National Guard in support of the United States Customs and Border Protection, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Southwest Border Protection Act of 2014 2. Activation and deployment of members of the National Guard to support Department of Homeland Security border control activities along international border between the United States and Mexico (a) Expanded deployment of National Guard At the request of a Governor of a State that shares a portion of the international border between the United States and Mexico, the Secretary of Defense shall order to active duty, and provide for the deployment of, members of the National Guard along such border to assist United States Customs and Border Protection in achieving operational control of such border. (b) Number of Guardsmen deployed At least 10,000 members of the National Guard shall be ordered to active duty and deployed under the authority of this section along the international border between the United States and Mexico. Members ordered to active duty and deployed under the authority of this section shall be in addition to the number of members of the National Guard so deployed along such border as of the date of the enactment of this Act. (c) Duration The deployment of members of the National Guard under the authority of this section in a State that shares a portion of the international border between the United States and Mexico shall continue until the earlier of the following: (1) The date on which the Secretary of Homeland Security certifies that the Federal Government has achieved operational control of such border. (2) The date on which the Governor of the State withdraws the request made under subsection (a). (d) Exemption from end strengths and other limitations Members of the National Guard deployed under the authority of this section shall not be counted toward— (1) any limits on end strength; or (2) limits on the number of National Guard personnel that may be placed on active duty for operational support. (e) Operational control defined In this section, the term operational control 8 U.S.C. 1701

Summary: Southwest Border Protection Act of 2014 - Requires Secretary of Defense (DOD), at the request of a governor of a state that shares a portion of the international border between the United States and Mexico, to order to active duty, and provide for the deployment of, at least 10,000 members of the National Guard to assist the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in achieving operational control of such border. Provides for such deployment to be in addition to the number of National Guard members already deployed along such border as of the enactment of this Act. Requires such a governor-requested deployment to continue until: (1) the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) certifies that the federal government has achieved operational control, or (2) the governor withdraws the request. Exempts National Guard members deployed under this Act from being counted toward any limits on: (1) end strength, or (2) the number of National Guard personnel that may be placed on active duty for operational support.