Build up Illegal Line Defenses with Assets Lawfully Lifted Act of 2023

Bill: 118-hr-776
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Duncan, Jeff [R-SC-3]
Introduced: 2023-02-02
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Border security and unlawful immigration

Civil actions and liability

Congressional oversight

Currency

Department of Justice

Drug trafficking and controlled substances

Executive agency funding and structure

Fraud offenses and financial crimes

Government studies and investigations

Government trust funds

Latin America

Law enforcement administration and funding

Mexico

Smuggling and trafficking
Latest action: action_date: 2023-02-02
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-02-02
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Build up Illegal Line Defenses with Assets Lawfully Lifted Act of 2023 </b></p> <p>This bill directs certain amounts from the Department of Justice (DOJ) Assets Forfeiture Fund to the deployment of additional border security measures.</p> <p>Specifically, DOJ must report annually on the amount of total deposits into the fund that are derived from Mexican cartels. The bill makes available 50% of that amount for the construction of additional physical barriers and roads near the border to deter illegal crossings into the United States. </p> <p>Additionally, the bill prohibits the release of seized currency or contraband that likely belongs to or supports a foreign illegal trafficking organization while a civil forfeiture action is pending.</p>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 776 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 2, 2023 Mr. Duncan (for himself, Mrs. Harshbarger , Mr. Norman , Mrs. Miller of Illinois , Mr. Gosar , Mr. Mooney , Mr. Moore of Alabama , Mr. Posey , Mr. Zinke , and Mr. Carter of Georgia ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend section 524(c) of title 18, United States Code, to use lawfully forfeited drug seizures to increase border security.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Build up Illegal Line Defenses with Assets Lawfully Lifted Act of 2023 . 2. Reservation of portion of forfeits in the Department of Justice Civil Asset Forfeiture Fund for building a physical barrier or advanced technology to prevent illegal entry over our southern border Section 524(c) of title 28, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting , except as provided in paragraph (12), before be available to the Attorney General ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (12) (A) Not later than on December 1 of each year, the Attorney General shall report to Congress the total of any funds in the Fund as of October 1 which are derived from Mexican cartels. (B) The Attorney General shall conduct an ongoing study with a view to deriving more funds than have historically been the case for the Fund from Mexican cartels. The Attorney General shall report from time to time to Congress any suggestions found through the study. The first such report shall be transmitted not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this paragraph. (C) An amount equal to 50 percent of the total reported under subsection (a) shall be made available without fiscal year limitation to install additional physical barriers and roads (including the removal of obstacles to detection of illegal entrants) in the vicinity of the United States border to deter illegal crossings in areas of high illegal entry into the United States. . 3. Limitation on release of property Section 983(f)(8) of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking or at the end of subparagraph (C); (2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (D) and inserting ; or ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (E) is currency or contraband likely to belong to or used in support of a foreign, illegal trafficking organization. .