I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4303 
To provide for the establishment of an accountable and humane border 
security strategy for the international land borders of the United States, 
address cultural, economic, ecological, environmental and humanitarian 
impacts of border security infrastructure, measures, and activities along 
the international land borders of the United States, and for other pur-
poses. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 18, 2015 
Mr. GRIJALVA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on 
Armed Services, the Judiciary, Natural Resources, Agriculture, Foreign 
Affairs, Transportation and Infrastructure, 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 provide for the establishment of an accountable and hu-
mane border security strategy for the international land 
borders of the United States, address cultural, economic, 
ecological, environmental and humanitarian impacts of 
border security infrastructure, measures, and activities 
along the international land 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, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Border Security and Accountability Act of 2015’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Definitions. 
Sec. 3. Comprehensive border security strategy. 
Sec. 4. Actions to secure the international land borders of the United States. 
Sec. 5. Borderlands monitoring and mitigation. 
Sec. 6. Combating human smuggling. 
Sec. 7. Deaths along the U.S.-Mexico border: reports and strategies for preven-
tion. 
Sec. 8. Southwest border strategy study and analysis. 
Sec. 9. Prohibition on military involvement in nonemergency border enforce-
ment. 
Sec. 10. Border Communities Liaison Office. 
Sec. 11. Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and Office of Inspector Gen-
eral. 
Sec. 12. Cooperation with the Government of Mexico. 
Sec. 13. Southern Border Security Task Force. 
Sec. 14. Southern Border Security Commission. 
Sec. 15. Use of force. 
Sec. 16. Training for border security and immigration enforcement officers. 
Sec. 17. Protection of family values in apprehension programs. 
Sec. 18. Prohibition on new land border crossing fees. 
Sec. 19. Limitations on dangerous deportation practices. 
Sec. 20. Severability and delegation. 
Sec. 21. Improving ports of entry for border security and other purposes. 
Sec. 22. Improving cross-border transportation. 
Sec. 23. Increase in numbers of United States Customs and Border Protection 
offices on land ports of entry. 
Sec. 24. Racial profiling compliance. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(a) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.— 
The term ‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ means 
the Committee on Natural Resources, the Committee on 
Homeland Security, and the Committee on Agriculture of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on En-
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ergy and Natural Resources, the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs, the Committee on En-
vironment and Public Works, and the Committee on Agri-
culture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate. 
(b) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 4 of the Indian Self- 
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
450b). 
(c) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the 
Secretary of Homeland Security. 
(d) SECRETARY CONCERNED.—The term ‘‘Secretary 
concerned’’ means the Secretary of Agriculture with re-
spect to land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of 
Agriculture, the Secretary of the Interior with respect to 
land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior, 
the Secretary of Defense with respect to land under the 
jurisdiction of the Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary 
of Commerce with respect to land under the jurisdiction 
of the Secretary of Commerce. 
(e) VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.—The term ‘‘vulner-
able populations’’ means populations who face barriers in 
accessing and using victim services, and includes victims 
of human trafficking, victims of certain crimes who have 
suffered mental or physical abuse, victims of child abuse, 
abandonment and neglect. 
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SEC. 3. COMPREHENSIVE BORDER SECURITY STRATEGY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, the Sec-
retary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the 
Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Commerce, in 
consultation with State, local, and tribal governments, 
border residents, and nongovernmental organizations, 
shall jointly develop and submit to Congress and the Gov-
ernment Accountability Office a comprehensive border se-
curity strategy for the international land borders of the 
United States. 
(b) ELEMENTS OF THE STRATEGY.—The strategy 
developed in accordance with subsection (a) shall include 
the following components: 
(1) A comparative analysis report that assesses 
and describes the state of border security, based on 
auditable and verifiable data, along the international 
land borders of the United States achievable through 
tactical infrastructure and other security measures 
and activities. Measures assessed shall include, at a 
minimum, the following: 
(A) Fencing and infrastructure, including 
pedestrian fencing, double layer fencing, land-
ing mat fencing, permanent vehicle barriers, 
and temporary vehicle barriers. 
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(B) Vehicle barriers, especially in areas in 
the vicinity of existing or planned roads. 
(C) Border Patrol and Office of Field Op-
erations personnel. 
(D) Efficacy of natural barriers and open 
space in response to smuggling and trafficking 
of humans, weapons, and illicit drugs. 
(E) Fielding of advanced technologies and 
systems, including systems developed and em-
ployed, or under development, for tactical sur-
veillance, multi-source information integration, 
and response analysis in difficult terrain and 
under adverse environmental conditions. 
(F) Regional as well as urban and rural 
variation in border security methodologies and 
incorporation of natural barriers and open 
spaces in response to smuggling and trafficking 
of humans, weapons, and illicit drugs. 
(G) Enhanced cooperation with, and assist-
ance to, intelligence, security, and law enforce-
ment agencies in Mexico and Canada in detect-
ing, reporting, analyzing, and successfully re-
sponding to smuggling and trafficking of hu-
mans, weapons, and illicit drugs from or into 
Mexico or Canada. 
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(H) Removal of obstructive non-native 
vegetation. 
(I) Subterranean surveillance and detection 
technologies. 
(J) Deployable, lighter-than-air ground 
surveillance equipment. 
(K) Unmanned and man-portable aerial ve-
hicles, along with policy measures to protect 
privacy and civil liberties. 
(L) Ultralight aircraft detection capabili-
ties. 
(M) Advanced unattended surveillance sen-
sors, including tower-based surveillance tech-
nology, and mobile vehicle-mounted and man- 
portable surveillance systems. 
(2) A comprehensive analysis of cost and other 
impacts of border security infrastructure, activities, 
and measures assessed in paragraph (1), including 
an assessment of the following: 
(A) Construction costs, including both 
labor and material costs. 
(B) Maintenance costs over 5, 10, 15, and 
20 years. 
(C) Contractor costs. 
(D) Management and overhead costs. 
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