I don’t think anything completely protects the border. I’d have to read the bill to tell you whether I support it or not.
It sure looks to me like complete protection. Bearing in mind crooks are still going to commit crimes.
This will give you a start:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.—This Act may be cited as the “Secure the Border Act of 2023”.
(b) Table Of Contents.—The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
DIVISION A—BORDER SECURITY
Sec. 101. Definitions.
Sec. 102. Border wall construction.
Sec. 103. Strengthening the requirements for barriers along the southern border.
Sec. 104. Border and port security technology investment plan.
Sec. 105. Border security technology program management.
Sec. 106. U.S. Customs and Border Protection technology upgrades.
Sec. 107. U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel.
Sec. 108. Anti-Border Corruption Act reauthorization.
Sec. 109. Establishment of workload staffing models for U.S. Border Patrol and Air and Marine Operations of CBP.
Sec. 110. Operation Stonegarden.
Sec. 111. Air and Marine Operations flight hours.
Sec. 112. Eradication of carrizo cane and salt cedar.
Sec. 113. Border patrol strategic plan.
Sec. 114. U.S. Customs and Border Protection spiritual readiness.
Sec. 115. Restrictions on funding.
Sec. 116. Collection of DNA and biometric information at the border.
Sec. 117. Eradication of narcotic drugs and formulating effective new tools to address yearly losses of life; ensuring timely updates to U.S. Customs and Border Protection field manuals.
Sec. 118. Publication by U.S. Customs and Border Protection of operational statistics.
Sec. 119. Alien criminal background checks.
Sec. 120. Prohibited identification documents at airport security checkpoints; notification to immigration agencies.
Sec. 121. Prohibition against any COVID–19 vaccine mandate or adverse action against DHS employees.
Sec. 122. CBP One app limitation.
Sec. 123. Report on Mexican drug cartels.
Sec. 124. GAO study on costs incurred by States to secure the southwest border.
Sec. 125. Report by Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security.
Sec. 126. Offsetting authorizations of appropriations.
Sec. 127. Report to Congress on foreign terrorist organizations.
Sec. 128. Assessment by Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security on the mitigation of unmanned aircraft systems at the southwest border.
DIVISION B—IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS
TITLE I—ASYLUM REFORM AND BORDER PROTECTION
Sec. 101. Safe third country.
Sec. 102. Credible fear interviews.
Sec. 103. Clarification of asylum eligibility.
Sec. 104. Exceptions.
Sec. 105. Employment authorization.
Sec. 106. Asylum fees.
Sec. 107. Rules for determining asylum eligibility.
Sec. 108. Firm resettlement.
Sec. 109. Notice concerning frivolous asylum applications.
Sec. 110. Technical amendments.
Sec. 111. Requirement for procedures relating to certain asylum applications.
TITLE II—BORDER SAFETY AND MIGRANT PROTECTION
Sec. 201. Inspection of applicants for admission.
Sec. 202. Operational detention facilities.
TITLE III—PREVENTING UNCONTROLLED MIGRATION FLOWS IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE
Sec. 301. United States policy regarding Western Hemisphere cooperation on immigration and asylum.
Sec. 302. Negotiations by Secretary of State.
Sec. 303. Mandatory briefings on United States efforts to address the border crisis.
TITLE IV—ENSURING UNITED FAMILIES AT THE BORDER
Sec. 401. Clarification of standards for family detention.
TITLE V—PROTECTION OF CHILDREN
Sec. 501. Findings.
Sec. 502. Repatriation of unaccompanied alien children.
Sec. 503. Special immigrant juvenile status for immigrants unable to reunite with either parent.
Sec. 504. Rule of construction.
TITLE VI—VISA OVERSTAYS PENALTIES
Sec. 601. Expanded penalties for illegal entry or presence.
TITLE VII—IMMIGRATION PAROLE REFORM
Sec. 701. Immigration parole reform.
Sec. 702. Implementation.
Sec. 703. Cause of action.
Sec. 704. Severability.
TITLE VIII—LEGAL WORKFORCE
Sec. 801. Employment eligibility verification process.
Sec. 802. Employment eligibility verification system.
Sec. 803. Recruitment, referral, and continuation of employment.
Sec. 804. Good faith defense.
Sec. 805. Preemption and States’ rights.
Sec. 806. Repeal.
Sec. 807. Penalties.
Sec. 808. Fraud and misuse of documents.
Sec. 809. Protection of Social Security Administration programs.
Sec. 810. Fraud prevention.
Sec. 811. Use of employment eligibility verification photo tool.
Sec. 812. Identity authentication employment eligibility verification pilot programs.
Sec. 813. Inspector General audits.
Sec. 814. Agriculture workforce study.
Sec. 815. Sense of Congress on further implementation.
Sec. 816. Repealing regulations.
DIVISION A—BORDER SECURITY
SEC. 101. DEFINITIONS.
In this division:
(1) CBP.—The term “CBP” means U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
(2) COMMISSIONER.—The term “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
(3) DEPARTMENT.—The term “Department” means the Department of Homeland Security.
(4) OPERATIONAL CONTROL.—The term “operational control” has the meaning given such term in section 2(b) of the Secure Fence Act of 2006 (
Public Law 109–367;
8 U.S.C. 1701 note).
(5) SECRETARY.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Homeland Security.
(6) SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.—The term “situational awareness” has the meaning given such term in section 1092(a)(7) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (
Public Law 114–328;
6 U.S.C. 223(a)(7)).
(7) UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM.—The term “unmanned aircraft system” has the meaning given such term in section 44801 of title 49, United States Code.
SEC. 102. BORDER WALL CONSTRUCTION.
(a) In General.—
(1) IMMEDIATE RESUMPTION OF BORDER WALL CONSTRUCTION.—Not later than seven days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall resume all activities related to the construction of the border wall along the border between the United States and Mexico that were underway or being planned for prior to January 20, 2021.
(2) USE OF FUNDS.—To carry out this section, the Secretary shall expend all unexpired funds appropriated or explicitly obligated for the construction of the border wall that were appropriated or obligated, as the case may be, for use beginning on October 1, 2019.
(3) USE OF MATERIALS.—Any unused materials purchased before the date of the enactment of this Act for construction of the border wall may be used for activities related to the construction of the border wall in accordance with paragraph (1).
(b) Plan To Complete Tactical Infrastructure And Technology.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter until construction of the border wall has been completed, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an implementation plan, including annual benchmarks for the construction of 200 miles of such wall and associated cost estimates for satisfying all requirements of the construction of the border wall, including installation and deployment of tactical infrastructure, technology, and other elements as identified by the Department prior to January 20, 2021, through the expenditure of funds appropriated or explicitly obligated, as the case may be, for use, as well as any future funds appropriated or otherwise made available by Congress.
(c) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.—The term “appropriate congressional committees” means the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
(2) TACTICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.—The term “tactical infrastructure” includes boat ramps, access gates, checkpoints, lighting, and roads associated with a border wall.
(3) TECHNOLOGY.—The term “technology” includes border surveillance and detection technology, including linear ground detection systems, associated with a border wall.
SEC. 103. STRENGTHENING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR BARRIERS ALONG THE SOUTHERN BORDER.
Section 102 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Division C of
Public Law 104–208;
8 U.S.C. 1103 note) is amended—
(1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
“(a) In General.—The Secretary of Homeland Security shall take such actions as may be necessary (including the removal of obstacles to detection of illegal entrants) to design, test, construct, install, deploy, integrate, and operate physical barriers, tactical infrastructure, and technology in the vicinity of the southwest border to achieve situational awareness and operational control of the southwest border and deter, impede, and detect unlawful activity.”;
(2) in subsection (b)—
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking “Fencing And Road Improvements” and inserting “Physical Barriers”;
(B) in paragraph (1)—
(i) in the heading, by striking “FENCING” and inserting “BARRIERS”;
(ii) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:
“(A) REINFORCED BARRIERS.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall construct a border wall, including physical barriers, tactical infrastructure, and technology, along not fewer than 900 miles of the southwest border until situational awareness and operational control of the southwest border is achieved.”;
(iii) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows:
“(B) PHYSICAL BARRIERS AND TACTICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall deploy along the southwest border the most practical and effective physical barriers, tactical infrastructure, and technology available for achieving situational awareness and operational control of the southwest border.”;
