Immigration Advisory Program Authorization Act of 2018

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the immigration advisory program, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Immigration Advisory Program Authorization Act of 2018 IAP Authorization Act of 2018 2. Authorization of the immigration advisory program (a) In general Subtitle B of title IV of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 211 420. Immigration advisory program (a) In general There is authorized within U.S. Customs and Border Protection an immigration advisory program (in this section referred to as the program (b) Activities In carrying out the program, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers may— (1) be present during processing of flights bound for the United States; (2) assist air carriers and security employees with document examination and traveler security assessments; (3) provide relevant training to air carriers, security employees, and host-country authorities; (4) analyze electronic passenger information and passenger reservation data to identify potential threats; (5) engage air carriers and travelers to confirm potential terrorist watchlist matches; (6) make recommendations to air carriers to deny potentially inadmissable passengers boarding flights bound for the United States; and (7) conduct other activities to secure flights bound for the United States, as directed by the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. (c) Notification to Congress Not later than 60 days before an agreement with the government of a host country pursuant to the program described in this section enters into force, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall provide the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate with— (1) a copy of such agreement, which shall include— (A) the identification of the host country with which U.S. Customs and Border Protection intends to enter into such agreement; (B) the location at which activities described in subsection (b) will be conducted pursuant to such agreement; and (C) the terms and conditions for U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel operating at such location; (2) country-specific information on the anticipated homeland security benefits associated with such agreement; (3) an assessment of the impacts such agreement will have on U.S. Customs and Border Protection domestic port of entry staffing; (4) information on the anticipated costs over the five fiscal years after such agreement enters into force associated with carrying out such agreement; (5) details on information sharing mechanisms to ensure that U.S. Customs and Border Protection has current information to prevent terrorist and criminal travel; and (6) other factors that the Commissioner determines necessary for Congress to comprehensively assess the appropriateness of carrying out the program. (d) Amendment of existing agreements Not later than 30 days before a substantially amended program agreement with the government of a host country in effect as of the date of the enactment of this section enters into force, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall provide to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate— (1) a copy of such agreement, as amended; and (2) the justification for such amendment. (e) Definitions In this section, the terms air carrier foreign air carrier . (b) Conforming amendment Subsection (c) of section 411 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 211 (1) in paragraph (18), by striking and (2) by redesignating paragraph (19) as paragraph (20); and (3) by inserting after paragraph (18) the following new paragraph: (19) carry out section 420, relating to the immigration advisory program; and . (c) Clerical amendment The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 419 the following new item: Sec. 420. Immigration advisory program. . June 21, 2018 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Summary: Immigration Advisory Program Authorization Act of 2018 or the IAP Authorization Act of 2018 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize within U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) an immigration advisory program for CBP officers, pursuant to an agreement with a host country, to assist air carriers and security employees at foreign airports review traveler information during the processing of U.S.-bound flights. CBP shall provide Congress with: a copy of any host country agreement within 60 days of such agreement entering into force which shall include information on anticipated homeland security benefits, costs, CBP personnel needs, and possible terrorist and criminal travel; and a copy of, and a justification for, any substantially amended agreement within 30 days of such agreement entering into force.