I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4307 
To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to annually compile data 
relating to unauthorized aliens who cross the borders into the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 10, 2005 
Mr. ROGERS of Alabama (for himself, Mr. MCCAUL of Texas, and Mr. 
PEARCE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to annually 
compile data relating to unauthorized aliens who cross 
the borders into the United States. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as ‘‘The Illegal Border Cross-
ers Reporting Act of 2005’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following:
(1) Estimates of the number of illegal aliens in 
the United States range from 7 million to 20 mil-
lion. 
(2) In fiscal year 2004, the United States Bor-
der Patrol apprehended 1.16 million people who en-
tered the country illegally. However, this represents 
only one-third of the estimated three million people 
who cross the border illegally each year. 
(3) Numerous reports indicate that the num-
bers of ‘‘Other Than Mexicans’’ (OTMs) entering 
the country illegally has been rising. OTM apprehen-
sions have more than doubled from 37,316 in fiscal 
year 2002 to 75,389 in fiscal year 2004. Many of 
these illegal border crossers may be from countries 
that sponsor terrorism. 
(4) In testimony before the Committee on the 
Judiciary of the Senate on October 18, 2005, Sec-
retary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff stated 
that ‘‘a non-Mexican illegal immigrant caught trying 
to enter the United States across the southwest bor-
der has an 80 percent chance of being released im-
mediately because we lack the holding facilities.’’. 
(5) The United States Public Health Service is 
authorized to pay the medical expenses of unauthor-
ized aliens in the custody of immigration officials.
However, the Department of Homeland Security is 
not responsible for the medical costs for unauthor-
ized aliens not taken into custody by the Border Pa-
trol. 
(6) Insufficient data currently exists regarding 
the impact on hospitals from uncompensated costs 
for unauthorized aliens’ emergency medical expenses. 
(7) In September 2002, a study was released by 
the United States/Mexico Border Counties Coalition 
that reviewed the cost of medical care provided to 
unauthorized aliens in border counties in Texas, 
New Mexico, Arizona, and California. This study 
found that southwest border counties incurred over 
$200 million in uncompensated emergency medical 
costs that were provided to undocumented aliens. 
The study noted further that the $200 million figure 
did not include all costs borne by border counties 
and local medical providers. 
(8) In May 2004, the Government Account-
ability Office issued a report on the costs incurred 
by hospitals for treating undocumented aliens. The 
GAO, however, was unable to determine the total 
costs because of a lack of data collected by the Fed-
eral Government or reported by local hospitals.
SEC. 3. COLLECTION OF DATA. 
Beginning on October 1, 2006, the Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall annually compile data on the fol-
lowing categories of information: 
(1) The number of unauthorized aliens who re-
quire medical care taken into custody by Border Pa-
trol officials. 
(2) The number of unauthorized aliens with se-
rious injuries or medical conditions Border Patrol 
officials encounter, and refer to local hospitals or 
other health facilities. 
(3) The number of unauthorized aliens with se-
rious injuries or medical conditions who arrive at 
United States ports of entry and subsequently are 
admitted into the United States for emergency med-
ical care, as reported by United States Customs and 
Border Protection. 
(4) The number of unauthorized aliens de-
scribed in paragraphs (2) and (3) who subsequently 
are taken into custody by the Department of Home-
land Security. 
(5) A breakdown of the number of Mexicans 
and Other Than Mexicans described in paragraphs 
(1) through (3) as reported by United States Cus-
toms and Border Protection. 
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