Title: Border Enforcement Security Task Force Reauthorization Act of 2022
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
Border Enforcement Security Task Force Reauthorization Act of 2022
This bill modifies the Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) program within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). For example, if DHS establishes a BEST unit with a port security nexus, the unit must have at least (1) one member from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, and (2) one member from the geographically responsible Coast Guard Sector Intelligence Office.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8207 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8207

 To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to reauthorize the Border 
 Enforcement Security Task Force program of the Department of Homeland 
                   Security, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 23, 2022

Mr. Guest (for himself and Ms. Stefanik) introduced the following bill; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to reauthorize the Border 
 Enforcement Security Task Force program of the Department of Homeland 
                   Security, 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 ``Border Enforcement Security Task 
Force Reauthorization Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. UPDATED CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BEST UNITS.

    (a) In General.--Paragraph (2) of section 432(c) of the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 240(c)) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
        ``the Secretary shall consider'' and inserting ``the Secretary 
        shall apply risk-based criteria that takes into 
        consideration'';
            (2) in subparagraph (A), by inserting before the semicolon 
        the following: ``, including threats posed by transnational 
        criminal organizations'';
            (3) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (4) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
                    ``(E) the extent to which the BEST unit would 
                advance the Department's homeland and border security 
                strategic priorities and related objectives; and
                    ``(F) whether departmental Joint Task Force 
                operations established pursuant to section 708 and 
                other joint cross-border initiatives would be enhanced, 
                improved, or otherwise assisted by the BEST unit.''.
    (b) Port Security.--Subsection (c) of section 432 of the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 240(c)) is amended by--
            (1) redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new 
        paragraph:
            ``(3) Port security best units.--A BEST unit established 
        pursuant to paragraph (2) with a port security nexus shall be 
        composed of at least one member of each of the following:
                    ``(A) The Coast Guard Investigative Service.
                    ``(B) The geographically-responsible Coast Guard 
                Sector Intelligence Office.''.
    (c) Updated Considerations for Operation.--Paragraph (2) of section 
432(d) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 240(d)) is 
amended by inserting ``salary reimbursement,'' before ``operational''.
    (d) Updated Report Elements.--Subsection (e) of section 432 of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (620 U.S.C. 240(e)) is amended to read as 
follows:
    ``(e) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this section and annually there after for the following 
five years, the Secretary 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 report that includes 
the following:
            ``(1) A description of the effectiveness of BEST in 
        enhancing border security, disrupting and dismantling 
        transnational criminal organizations, and reducing drug 
        trafficking, arms smuggling, illegal alien trafficking and 
        smuggling, violence, and kidnapping along and across the 
        international borders of the United States, as measured by 
        crime statistics, including violent deaths, incidents of 
        violence, and drug-related arrests.
            ``(2) An assessment of how BEST enhances information-
        sharing, including the dissemination of homeland security 
        information, among Federal, State, local, Tribal, and foreign 
        law enforcement agencies.
            ``(3) A description of how BEST advances the Department's 
        homeland and border security strategic priorities and 
        effectiveness of BEST in achieving related objectives.
            ``(4) An assessment of BEST's joint operational efforts 
        with departmental Joint Task Force operations established 
        pursuant to section 708 and other joint cross-border 
        initiatives.''.
    (e) Technical Amendment.--Section 432 of the Homeland Security Act 
of 2002 (620 U.S.C. 240) is amended by striking ``tribal'' each place 
such term appears and inserting ``Tribal''.
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