Secure the Northern Triangle Act

Bill: 114-s-3106
Sponsor: Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV]
Introduced: 2016-06-28 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Alternative and renewable resources
Assault and harassment offenses
Border security and unlawful immigration
Child health
Child safety and welfare
Congressional oversight
Crime prevention
Crime victims
Crimes against children
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Customs enforcement
Department of Homeland Security
Department of the Treasury
Detention of persons
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Disability and paralysis
Domestic violence and child abuse
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Due process and equal protection
Economic development
Education programs funding
El Salvador
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Elementary and secondary education
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Evidence and witnesses
Federal officials
Foreign aid and international relief
Foreign loans and debt
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Guatemala
Health care coverage and access
Honduras
Human rights
Human trafficking
Immigration status and procedures
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
International organizations and cooperation
Judges
Judicial procedure and administration
Labor standards
Latin America
Law enforcement administration and funding
Law enforcement officers
Lawyers and legal services
Mental health
Mexico
Multilateral development programs
Organized crime
Political parties and affiliation
Pornography
Protest and dissent
Public contracts and procurement
Refugees, asylum, displaced persons
Rule of law and government transparency
Sex offenses
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Small business
Smuggling and trafficking
Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Trade agreements and negotiations
U.S. and foreign investments
Violent crime
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2016-06-28
text: 

Secure the Northern Triangle Act

 
This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the United States must address the violence and humanitarian crisis resulting in the elevated numbers of unaccompanied children, women, and refugees from the Northern Triangle (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras) arriving at the southwestern border of the United States.
 
The bill authorizes appropriations for the United States Strategy for Engagement in Central America.
 
Funds are made available for combating criminal violence and corruption and advancing economic development. 
 
The President shall designate a senior official to coordinate federal and international efforts to strengthen the rule of law and economic prosperity in Central America.
 
The Department of State shall submit a three-year strategy to secure international and regional support for the Plan of the Alliance for Prosperity in the Northern Triangle.
 
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall expand law enforcement partnership efforts in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico to combat human smuggling and trafficking.
 
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and DHS shall expand collaborative programs aimed at human smugglers and traffickers targeting Central American children and families. 
 
 The bill prohibits: (1) knowingly tracking or transmitting the location or activities of law enforcement agents with the intent to gain financially in furtherance of a violation of immigration, customs, or other border controls; and (2) destroying or damaging any physical or electronic device used by the federal government to control the border or any port of entry. 
 
The bill provides for: (1) increased sanctions against foreign narcotics traffickers and their foreign supporters operating in Central or South America; (2) increased resources for, and expedited processing under, the Central American Minors (CAM) program; and (3) strengthening the capacity of Mexico and other regional countries to provide asylum and global resettlement. 
 
The Office of Refugee Resettlement of the Department of Health and Human Services shall perform record checks of prospective sponsors prior to placing an unaccompanied alien child with a sponsor. 
 
DHS shall: (1) monitor unaccompanied alien children after placement, and (2) provide funds to states for criminal registry and child abuse searches of prospective sponsors.
 
The Department of Education shall provide funds to eligible school districts for unaccompanied alien children.
 
 A local educational agency shall: (1) ensure that unaccompanied alien children in the area are immediately enrolled in school following placement, and (2) remove enrollment and participation barriers. 
 
DHS shall: (1) ensure that legal orientation programs are available for all DHS-detained aliens, and (2) consult with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees to develop a child-centered repatriation process. 
 
DOJ may appoint or provide legal counsel to individuals in immigration proceedings and shall appoint legal counsel for children and vulnerable individuals in such proceedings.
 
DOJ shall increase the number of immigration judges and Board of Immigration Appeals attorneys.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-06-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4643-4651)
action_date: 2016-06-28
text: Introduced in Senate