Building America's Trust Act

Bill: 115-s-1757
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2017-08-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Administrative remedies
Advisory bodies
Agricultural conservation and pollution
Air quality
Aquatic ecology
Archaeology and anthropology
Arizona
Aviation and airports
Birds
Border security and unlawful immigration
California
Canada
Child safety and welfare
Citizenship and naturalization
Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Crime victims
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Customs enforcement
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Justice
Detention of persons
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Due process and equal protection
Economic development
Employee hiring
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Endangered and threatened species
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Evidence and witnesses
Farmland
Federal district courts
Federal-Indian relations
Foreign aid and international relief
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Genetics
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government liability
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Higher education
Historic sites and heritage areas
Historical and cultural resources
Housing and community development funding
Human trafficking
Immigration status and procedures
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
Intergovernmental relations
International exchange and broadcasting
Judges
Judicial procedure and administration
Judicial review and appeals
Juvenile crime and gang violence
Lakes and rivers
Land use and conservation
Latin America
Law enforcement administration and funding
Law enforcement officers
Licensing and registrations
Maine
Mammals
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Mexico
Michigan
Military civil functions
Military operations and strategy
Military personnel and dependents
Montana
Motor vehicles
National Guard and reserves
New York State
Noise pollution
North Dakota
Organized crime
Pollution liability
Refugees, asylum, displaced persons
Service animals
Solid waste and recycling
State and local finance
State and local government operations
Student records
Terrorism
Texas
Vermont
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Visas and passports
Washington State
Water quality
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2017-08-03
text: 

Building America's Trust Act

 
This bill provides for strengthening the barriers along the U.S. land and maritime borders to deter illegal activity, including through U.S. Border Patrol and law enforcement enhancements and personnel increases and National Guard use.
 
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall: (1) establish a National Border Security Advisory Committee; (2) submit a southern border threat analysis; (3) implement the Border Security Deployment Program; (4) establish a biometric exit data system; (5) reestablish the Secure Communities program immigration enforcement program; (6) expand criminal alien repatriation programs; and (7) increase visa security at high-risk posts.
 
The Department of Agriculture may carry out livestock or plant disease prevention/eradication operations.
 
The bill: (1) makes it a crime to unlawfully hinder immigration, border, and customs controls; (2) requires increases in immigration and law enforcement personnel and district judgeships; (3) authorizes appropriations for specified immigration purposes; and (4) requires electronic passport screening and biometric matching at airports of entry. 
 
Operation Stonegarden is established as a DHS program to provide border security grants. 
 
The Department of Justice shall provide grants for identification of victims of cross-border human smuggling.
 
The bill revises provisions regarding: (1) apprehension and detention of aliens; (2) nonimmigrant admissions; (3) criminal alien detention and removal; (4) parole entry of aliens; (5) sanctuary jurisdictions; (6) unaccompanied alien children; (7) human trafficking, drug trafficking, criminal organizations, and money laundering; (8) terrorism and national security; (9) gangs; (10) criminal penalties, including penalties for drug trafficking and crimes committed by illegal aliens; (11) human rights violations; (12) visa/document fraud and other grounds for exclusion; (13) student and exchange visitor verification; and (14) use of immigration-related information.
 
An alien may not be granted any immigrant status or benefits until positive background and security checks are concluded. 
 
The Department of State shall deny or revoke the passport of a person affiliated with a foreign terrorist organization.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-05
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 208.
action_date: 2017-08-03
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2017-08-03
text: Introduced in Senate