PATROL Act

Bill: 119-hr-992
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Cloud, Michael [R-TX-27]
Introduced: 2025-02-05
Policy area: Immigration
Latest action: action_date: 2025-02-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-02-05
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Preventing Aliens Through Rivers or Land Act or the PATROL Act</strong></p><p>This bill prohibits the Department of Justice (DOJ) from bringing certain civil actions against a state for building a physical structure impacting navigable waters along the U.S. border for security purposes. Specifically, the&nbsp;DOJ is prohibited from bringing an action for (1) the construction of a bridge, causeway, dam, dike, or other structure over or in a port, harbor, or other navigable water of the United States without federal approval; or (2) the creation of any obstruction to the navigable capacity of waters of the United States without federal approval.</p>

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 992 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 5, 2025 Mr. Cloud (for himself, Mr. Babin , Mr. Biggs of Arizona , Mr. Crenshaw , Mr. Donalds , Mr. Downing , Mr. Edwards , Mr. Evans of Colorado , Ms. Foxx , Mr. Gosar , Ms. Mace , Mr. Nehls , Mr. Rouzer , Ms. Van Duyne , Mr. Schmidt , and Mr. Webster of Florida ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure , and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary , 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 A BILL To prohibit the Department of Justice from bringing a civil action against a State under section 9 or 10 of the Act of March 3, 1899, for certain border security measures, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Preventing Aliens Through Rivers or Land Act or the PATROL Act . 2. Prohibition on civil action for certain border security measures (a) In general The Attorney General may not bring or maintain a civil action (including an action that is pending on the date of enactment of this Act) under section 9 or 10 of the Act of March 3, 1899 ( 33 U.S.C. 401 ; 403), against a State for any measure undertaken by the State to build, construct, erect, or otherwise install a barrier along the international border of the State for the purpose of— (1) preventing aliens from entering the State in violation of the immigration laws; or (2) protecting the territory of the State. (b) Definitions In this section: (1) Alien The term alien has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1101 ). (2) Barrier The term barrier means any physical structure intended to secure the border, including a wall, fence, or floating buoy. (3) Immigration laws The term immigration laws has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1101 ).