Title: Illicit Arms Trafficking Security Enforcement Act
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Illicit Arms Trafficking Security Enforcement Act
This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to establish a new unit—a Border Enforcement Security Task Force unit—to investigate transnational criminal organization arms smuggling across the international border between the United States and Mexico.
The purposes of the new unit include, among other things, reducing arms smuggling from the United States to Mexico.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5849 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5849

  To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a Border 
   Enforcement Security Task Force unit to investigate transnational 
 criminal organization arms smuggling across the international border 
     between the United States and Mexico, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 11, 2020

Mr. Gallagher introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Homeland Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a Border 
   Enforcement Security Task Force unit to investigate transnational 
 criminal organization arms smuggling across the international border 
     between the United States and Mexico, 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 ``Illicit Arms Trafficking Security 
Enforcement Act''.

SEC. 2. BORDER ENFORCEMENT SECURITY TASK FORCE UNIT FOR ARMS SMUGGLING.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, 
pursuant to section 432 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 
240), establish, in consultation with the National Targeting Center of 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 
Firearms and Explosives of the Department of Justice, a Border 
Enforcement Security Task Force unit to investigate transnational 
criminal organization arms smuggling across the international border 
between the United States and Mexico.
    (b) Purposes.--The Border Enforcement Security Task Force unit 
established in accordance with subsection (a) shall focus on the 
following:
            (1) Reducing arms smuggling of weapons, weapon parts, 
        munitions, explosives, and related items from the United States 
        to Mexico.
            (2) Apprehending, or working with relevant law enforcement 
        to apprehend, arms smugglers within the United States or 
        crossing from the United States to Mexico.
            (3) Ensuring coordination with the Bureau of Alcohol, 
        Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to receive comprehensive data 
        on seized firearms in Mexico through an electronic tracing 
        system or a successor system.
            (4) Deconflicting arms trafficking investigations between 
        the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of 
        Justice.
    (c) Composition.--The Border Enforcement Security Task Force unit 
established in accordance with subsection (a) shall be composed of the 
following:
            (1) U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
            (2) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, led by 
        Homeland Security Investigations.
            (3) Other Department of Homeland Security personnel, as 
        appropriate.
            (4) The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and 
        Explosives, with the approval of the Attorney General.
            (5) Other Federal, State, local, Tribal, and foreign law 
        enforcement agencies, including Mexican law enforcement 
        agencies, as appropriate.
    (d) Resources.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
coordination with the Attorney General, shall submit to Congress a 
report that identifies technology, dedicated personnel, and other 
resources required for the following purposes relating to the 
establishment of the BEST unit in accordance with subsection (a):
            (1) Continuation of Operation Without a Trace and related 
        Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives agency 
        strategy.
            (2) Conducting pilot programs and operations.
            (3) Joint training operations.
    (e) Memorandum of Understanding.--Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security 
and the Attorney General shall update the 2009 memorandum of 
understanding between Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau 
of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives relating to improving 
coordination on efforts to combat illegal arms trafficking.
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