II 
Calendar No. 497 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 915 
[Report No. 112–206] 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
JUNE 4, 2012 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs 
AUGUST 28, 2012 
Reported, under authority of the order of the Senate of August 2, 2012, by 
Mr. LIEBERMAN, with an amendment 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
AN ACT 
To establish a Border Enforcement Security Task Force 
program to enhance border security by fostering coordi-
nated efforts among Federal, State, and local border 
and law enforcement officials to protect United States 
border cities and communities from trans-national crime, 
including violence associated with drug trafficking, arms 
smuggling, illegal alien trafficking and smuggling, vio-
lence, and kidnapping along and across the international 
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, 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:12 Aug 28, 2012
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H915.RS
H915
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Jaime Zapata Border 
Enforcement Security Task Force Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF PURPOSES. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Department of Homeland Security’s 
(DHS) overriding mission is to lead a unified na-
tional effort to protect the United States. United 
States
Immigration
and
Customs
Enforcement 
(ICE) is the largest investigative agency within DHS 
and is charged with enforcing a wide array of laws, 
including laws related to securing the border and 
combating criminal smuggling. 
(2) Mexico’s northern border with the United 
States has experienced a dramatic surge in border 
crime and violence in recent years due to intense 
competition between Mexican drug cartels and crimi-
nal smuggling organizations that employ predatory 
tactics to realize their profits. 
(3) Law enforcement agencies at the United 
States northern border face similar challenges from 
transnational smuggling organizations. 
(4) In response, DHS has partnered with Fed-
eral, State, local, tribal, and foreign law enforcement 
counterparts to create the Border Enforcement Se-
curity Task Force (BEST) initiative as a com-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:12 Aug 28, 2012
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6401
E:\BILLS\H915.RS
H915
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
prehensive approach to addressing border security 
threats. These multi-agency teams are designed to 
increase
information-sharing
and
collaboration 
among the participating law enforcement agencies. 
(5) BEST teams incorporate personnel from 
ICE, United States Customs and Border Protection 
(CBP),
the
Drug
Enforcement
Administration 
(DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms 
and Explosives (ATFE), the Federal Bureau of In-
vestigation (FBI), the United States Coast Guard 
(USCG), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO), 
along with other key Federal, State and local law 
enforcement agencies. 
(6) Foreign law enforcement agencies include 
Mexico’s Secretaria de Seguridad Publica (SSP), the 
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the On-
tario Provincial Police (OPP), and the Royal Cana-
dian Mounted Police (RCMP). 
SEC. 3. BORDER ENFORCEMENT SECURITY TASK FORCE. 
(a)
ESTABLISHMENT.—There
is
established
in 
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement 
(ICE) a program known as a Border Enforcement Secu-
rity Task Force (referred to as ‘‘BEST’’). 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:12 Aug 28, 2012
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6401
E:\BILLS\H915.RS
H915
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the BEST program 
is to establish units to enhance border security by address-
ing and reducing border security threats and violence by— 
(1) facilitating collaboration among Federal, 
State, local, tribal, and foreign law enforcement 
agencies to execute coordinated activities in further-
ance of border security, and homeland security; and 
(2)
enhancing
information-sharing,
including 
the dissemination of homeland security information 
among such agencies. 
(c) COMPOSITION AND DESIGNATION.— 
(1) COMPOSITION.—BEST units may be com-
prised of personnel from— 
(A) United States Immigration and Cus-
toms Enforcement; 
(B) United States Customs and Border 
Protection; 
(C) the United States Coast Guard; 
(D) other Federal agencies, as appropriate; 
(E)
appropriate
State
law
enforcement 
agencies; 
(F) foreign law enforcement agencies, as 
appropriate; 
(G) local law enforcement agencies from 
affected border cities and communities; and 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:12 Aug 28, 2012
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6401
E:\BILLS\H915.RS
H915
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(H) appropriate tribal law enforcement 
agencies. 
(2) DESIGNATION.—The Secretary of Home-
land Security, acting through the Assistant Sec-
retary for ICE, is authorized to establish BEST 
units in jurisdictions where such units can con-
tribute to the BEST program’s missions, as appro-
priate. Prior to establishing a BEST unit, the As-
sistant Secretary shall consider the following factors: 
(A) Whether the area where the BEST 
unit would be established is significantly im-
pacted by cross-border threats. 
(B) The availability of Federal, State, 
local, tribal, and foreign law enforcement re-
sources to participate in the BEST unit. 
(C) The extent to which border security 
threats are having a significant harmful impact 
in the jurisdiction in which the BEST unit is 
to be established, and other jurisdictions of the 
country. 
(D) Whether or not an Integrated Border 
Enforcement Team already exists in the area 
where the BEST unit would be established. 
(d) OPERATION.—After making a designation under 
subsection (c)(2), and in order to provide Federal assist-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:12 Aug 28, 2012
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6401
E:\BILLS\H915.RS
H915
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
ance to the area so designated, the Secretary of Homeland 
Security may— 
(1) obligate such sums as are appropriated for 
the BEST program; 
(2) direct the assignment of Federal personnel 
to the BEST program, subject to the approval of the 
head of the department or agency that employs such 
personnel; and 
(3) take other actions to assist State, local, 
tribal, and foreign jurisdictions to participate in the 
BEST program. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the establishment of the BEST program under sub-
section (a) and annually thereafter, the Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall submit to Congress a report on 
the effectiveness of the BEST program in enhancing bor-
der security and reducing the drug trafficking, arms 
smuggling, illegal alien trafficking and smuggling, vio-
lence, and kidnapping along and across the international 
borders of the United States as measured by crime statis-
tics, including violent deaths, incidents of violence, and 
drug-related arrests. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Home-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:12 Aug 28, 2012
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6401
E:\BILLS\H915.RS
H915
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
land Security $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 
through 2016 to— 
(1) establish and operate the BEST program, 
including to provide for operational, administrative, 
and technological costs to Federal, State, local, trib-
al and foreign law enforcement agencies partici-
pating in the BEST program; and 
(2) investigate, apprehend, and prosecute indi-
viduals engaged in drug trafficking, arms smuggling, 
illegal alien trafficking and smuggling, violence, and 
kidnapping along and across the international bor-
ders of the United States. 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Jaime Zapata Border 
Enforcement Security Task Force Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF PURPOSES. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Department of Homeland Security’s 
(DHS) overriding mission is to lead a unified na-
tional effort to protect the United States. United 
States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 
is the largest investigative agency within DHS and is 
charged with enforcing a wide array of laws, includ-
ing laws related to securing the border and combating 
criminal smuggling. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:12 Aug 28, 2012
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H915.RS
H915
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(2) Mexico’s northern border with the United 
States has experienced a dramatic surge in border 
crime and violence in recent years due to intense 
competition between Mexican drug cartels and crimi-
nal smuggling organizations that employ predatory 
tactics to realize their profits. 
(3) Law enforcement agencies at the United 
States northern border also face challenges from 
transnational smuggling organizations. 
(4) In response, DHS has partnered with Fed-
eral, State, local, tribal, and foreign law enforcement 
counterparts to create the Border Enforcement Secu-
rity Task Force (BEST) initiative as a comprehen-
sive approach to addressing border security threats. 
These multi-agency teams are designed to increase in-
formation-sharing and collaboration among the par-
ticipating law enforcement agencies. 
(5) BEST teams incorporate personnel from 
ICE, United States Customs and Border Protection 
(CBP), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), 
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explo-
sives (ATFE), the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
(FBI), the United States Coast Guard (USCG), and 
the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO), along with other 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:12 Aug 28, 2012
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H915.RS
H915
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS