I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2872 
To secure the borders of the United States, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 31, 2013 
Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the 
Committees on Foreign Affairs, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, 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 com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To secure the borders of the United States, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; DEFINITION; TABLE OF CON-
TENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Border Enforcement, Security, and Technology Act of 
2013’’ and ‘‘BEST Act of 2013’’. 
(b) DEFINITION.—In this Act, the term ‘‘appropriate 
congressional committees’’ means the Committee on 
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Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs of the Senate. 
(c) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; Definition; Table of contents. 
TITLE I—COMPREHENSIVE BORDER SECURITY STRATEGY 
Sec. 101. Technology plan. 
Sec. 102. National Strategy for Border Security. 
Sec. 103. Roles and responsibility. 
TITLE II—BORDER SECURITY PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES 
Sec. 201. Maintenance of adequate ratio of supervisory and managerial agents 
to new agents. 
Sec. 202. Strengthening border patrol recruitment and retention. 
Sec. 203. Authorization of additional U.S. Customs and Border Protection offi-
cers. 
Sec. 204. Strengthening U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer recruit-
ment and retention. 
Sec. 205. Enhanced customer service standards and professionalism training. 
Sec. 206. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer training. 
Sec. 207. U.S. Customs and Border Protection wait times transparency. 
Sec. 208. K–9 units. 
Sec. 209. Equipment and vehicle needs for Customs and Border Protection offi-
cers and Border Patrol agents. 
TITLE III—STRENGTHENING INFRASTRUCTURE AND 
TECHNOLOGY 
Sec. 301. Pilot program on border connectivity. 
TITLE IV—SECURING THE PORTS OF ENTRY 
Sec. 401. Biometric exit data system. 
Sec. 402. NEXUS, SENTRI, and FAST assessment. 
Sec. 403. Electronic device search and seizure standards at ports of entry. 
TITLE V—FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL COORDINATION AND 
ASSISTANCE 
Sec. 501. Coordination of land and maritime border enforcement efforts. 
Sec. 502. Department of Homeland Security Border Oversight Task Force. 
TITLE VI—INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION 
Sec. 601. North and Central American border security cooperation initiative. 
Sec. 602. Enhancing the security of Mexico’s southern border. 
Sec. 603. Caribbean cooperation initiative. 
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TITLE VII—SECURE AND HUMANE DETENTION AND EFFECTIVE 
REPATRIATION. 
Sec. 701. Immigration detention standards. 
Sec. 702. Detention management. 
Sec. 703. Alternatives to detention for families and vulnerable populations. 
Sec. 704. Short term detention standards at and between ports of entry. 
Sec. 705. Report on nondeportable aliens. 
TITLE I—COMPREHENSIVE 
BORDER SECURITY STRATEGY 
SEC. 101. TECHNOLOGY PLAN. 
(a) REQUIREMENT
FOR PLAN.—The Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall develop a comprehensive plan for 
the technology for the security of the international borders 
of the United States. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The plan required under subsection 
(a) shall include the following: 
(1) A description of existing technologies em-
ployed along the international borders of the United 
States. 
(2) Requirements relating to the compatibility 
of new technologies with technologies in use by the 
Secretary of Homeland Security on the date of the 
enactment of this Act. 
(3) A description of how the Commissioner of 
United States Customs and Border Protection and 
the Commandant of the Coast Guard are working, 
or are expected to work, with the Under Secretary 
for Science and Technology of the Department of 
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trator of the Federal Aviation Administration on 
safety and airspace control issues associated with 
the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. 
(11) A description of technologies developed or 
utilized by the Department of Defense, including any 
such technologies determined to be excess by the 
Secretary of Defense. 
(c) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—Not later than three 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees the plan required under subsection (a). 
SEC. 102. NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR BORDER SECURITY. 
(a) REQUIREMENT FOR STRATEGY.—The Secretary 
of Homeland Security, in consultation with the heads of 
other appropriate Federal departments and agencies, shall 
develop a National Strategy for Border Security that de-
scribes actions to be carried out to achieve operational 
control over— 
(1) all ports of entry into the United States; 
and 
(2) the international borders of the United 
States. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The National Strategy for Border 
Security required under subsection (a) shall include the 
following: 
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(1) The implementation schedule for the com-
prehensive technology plan for the security of the 
international borders required under section 101. 
(2) An assessment of the threat posed by ter-
rorists and terrorist groups that may try to infiltrate 
the United States at locations along the inter-
national borders. 
(3) A risk assessment for all United States 
ports of entry and all portions of the international 
borders of the United States, including a description 
of activities being undertaken to— 
(A) prevent the entry into the United 
States of terrorists, instruments of terrorism, 
human traffickers, criminal aliens, perpetrators 
of criminal violence, unlawful aliens, narcotics, 
and other contraband; and 
(B) protect critical infrastructure at or 
near such ports of entry or borders. 
(4) A description of the legal requirements that 
prevent achieving and maintaining operational con-
trol over the international borders of the United 
States. 
(5) A description of the most appropriate, prac-
tical, and cost-effective means of protecting the 
international borders of the United States against 
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threats to security and illegal transit, including in-
telligence capacities, technology, equipment, per-
sonnel, and training needed to address border secu-
rity vulnerabilities. 
(6) A description of staffing needs for all bor-
der security functions, taking into account threat 
and vulnerability information pertaining to the inter-
national borders of the United States and the im-
pact of new security programs, policies, and tech-
nologies. 
(7) A description of the border security roles 
and missions of Federal, State, regional, local, and 
tribal authorities, and recommendations regarding 
actions the Secretary of Homeland Security can 
carry out to improve coordination with such authori-
ties to enable border security and enforcement ac-
tivities to be carried out in a more efficient and ef-
fective manner. 
(8) A description of existing efforts and tech-
nologies used for border security and the effect of 
the use of such efforts and technologies on civil 
rights, private property rights, privacy rights, and 
civil liberties. 
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(9) An assessment of effects and reporting on 
deaths and injuries resulting from unlawful border 
crossings. 
(10) A prioritized list of research and develop-
ment objectives to enhance the security of the inter-
national borders of the United States. 
(11) An assessment on how crossing times at 
port of entry border crossings impact legitimate bor-
der activity. 
(12) A description of the performance metrics 
to be used to ensure accountability by the compo-
nents of the Department of Homeland Security in 
implementing such Strategy. 
(13) A schedule for the implementation of the 
security measures described in such Strategy, includ-
ing a prioritization of security measures, realistic 
deadlines for addressing security and enforcement 
needs, an estimate of the resources required to carry 
out such measures, and a description of how such 
resources should be allocated. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—In developing the National 
Strategy for Border Security required under subsection 
(a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall consult with 
representatives of— 
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(1) State, local, territorial, and tribal authori-
ties with responsibility for locations along the inter-
national borders of the United States; and 
(2) appropriate private sector entities, labor or-
ganizations, nongovernmental organizations, and af-
fected communities that have expertise in subject 
matter areas related to border policy. 
(d) COORDINATION.—The National Strategy for Bor-
der Security required under subsection (a) shall be con-
sistent with the National Strategy for Maritime Security 
developed pursuant to Homeland Security Presidential Di-
rective 13, dated December 21, 2004. 
(e) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) STRATEGY.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Homeland Security shall submit to the appro-
priate congressional committees the National Strat-
egy for Border Security required under subsection 
(a). 
(2) UPDATES.—The Secretary of Homeland Se-
curity shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees any update of such Strategy that the 
Secretary determines is necessary, not later than 30 
days after any such update is developed. 
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