Comprehensive Southern Border Strategy Act
Bill: S.4642 | Sponsor: Sen. Tillis, Thomas (R-NC)
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
Comprehensive Southern Border Strategy Act
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to report to Congress a comprehensive southern border strategy. The strategy must include (1) an overview of current security risks along the southern border; and (2) an assessment of the barriers, technologies, and tools that are necessary to achieve and maintain situational awareness and operational control of the border.

To require a comprehensive southern border strategy, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Comprehensive Southern Border 
Strategy Act''.

SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE SOUTHERN BORDER STRATEGY.

    (a) Comprehensive Strategy.--
            (1) Requirement.--Not later than 12 months after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland 
        Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of 
        the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 
        Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a comprehensive 
        southern border strategy.
            (2) Contents.--The strategy submitted under paragraph (1) 
        shall include--
                    (A) a comprehensive overview of the current 
                security risks present along the southern border, 
                including relating to deficiencies along the physical 
                border, aerial and maritime vulnerabilities, and the 
                presence of illegal tunneling;
                    (B) a substantive review of the Department of 
                Homeland Security's technology, tools, or other devices 
                used to combat the trafficking of drugs across the 
                southern border, with an emphasis on fentanyl and 
                related substances;
                    (C) a thorough outline of the Department's 
                technology, tools, or other devices used to combat 
                human trafficking across the southern border by 
                international criminal organizations;
                    (D) a list of known physical barriers, 
                technologies, tools, and other devices that can be used 
                to achieve and maintain situational awareness and 
                operational control along the southern border;
                    (E) a projected per mile cost estimate for each 
                physical barrier, technology, tool, and other device 
                included on the list required under subparagraph (B);
                    (F) a detailed account of which type of physical 
                barrier, technology, tool, or other device the 
                Department of Homeland Security believes is necessary 
                to achieve and maintain situational awareness and 
                operational control for each linear mile of the 
                southern border;
                    (G) an explanation for why such physical barrier, 
                technology, tool, or other device was chosen to achieve 
                and maintain situational awareness and operational 
                control for each linear mile of the southern border, 
                including--
                            (i) the methodology used to determine which 
                        type of physical barrier, technology, tool, or 
                        other device was chosen for such linear mile;
                            (ii) an examination of existing manmade and 
                        natural barriers for each linear mile of the 
                        southern border; and
                            (iii) the information collected and 
                        evaluated from--
                                    (I) the appropriate U.S. Customs 
                                and Border Protection Sector Chief;
                                    (II) the Joint Task Force 
                                Commander;
                                    (III) the appropriate State 
                                Governor;
                                    (IV) local law enforcement 
                                officials;
                                    (V) private property owners; and
                                    (VI) other affected stakeholders;
                    (H) a per mile cost calculation for each linear 
                mile of the southern border given the type of physical 
                barrier, technology, tool, or other device chosen to 
                achieve and maintain operational control for each 
                linear mile; and
                    (I) a cost justification for each time a more 
                expensive physical barrier, technology, tool, or other 
                device is chosen over a less expensive option, as 
                established by the per mile cost estimates required in 
                subparagraph (B).
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Operational control.--The term ``operational control'' 
        has the meaning given such term in section 2(b) of the Secure 
        Fence Act of 2006 (8 U.S.C. 1701 note; Public Law 109-367).
            (2) Situational awareness.--The term ``situational 
        awareness'' has the meaning given the term in section 
        1092(a)(7) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
        Year 2017 (Public Law 114-328).
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