Border Tunnel Prevention Act of 2011

Bill: 112-hr-2264
Sponsor: Rep. Reyes, Silvestre [D-TX-16]
Introduced: 2011-06-21 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Arizona
Border security and unlawful immigration
California
Congressional oversight
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Human trafficking
Latin America
Mexico
New Mexico
Smuggling and trafficking
Texas

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-21
text: 
Border Tunnel Prevention Act of 2011 - Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) subject anyone who attempts or conspires to construct or finance construction of an unauthorized tunnel or subterranean passage that crosses the international border between the United States and another country, to use such a tunnel for smuggling, or to disregard such construction or use, to the penalties prescribed for someone who commits such an offense; (2) make such a border tunnel offense a predicate offense for a money laundering violation and for authorization for interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications; and (3) provide for the criminal forfeiture of proceeds of such an offense and the seizure and forfeiture of merchandise introduced into the United States through such a tunnel.
 
Encourages the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to annually provide each known nongovernmental owner and tenant of land located in a national security zone with a written notification that describes federal laws related to the construction of illegal border tunnels and the procedures for reporting violations of such laws to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Defines: (1) "national security zone" as any Southwest Border land designated by the Secretary as being at a high risk for border tunnel activity; and (2) "Southwest Border land" as all parcels of real property in the United States that are located within one mile of the U.S.-Mexico international border and that are not owned by a federal, state, tribal, or local government entity.
 
Requires the Secretary to submit an annual report describing: (1) cross border tunnels discovered in Southwest Border land; and (2) DHS needs to effectively prevent, investigate, and prosecute border tunnel construction on such land.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-08-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
action_date: 2011-06-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
action_date: 2011-06-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security.
action_date: 2011-06-21
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, 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 committee concerned.
action_date: 2011-06-21
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, 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 committee concerned.
action_date: 2011-06-21
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, 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 committee concerned.
action_date: 2011-06-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2011-06-21
text: Introduced in House