Border Workforce Efficiency Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 5468 To provide for U.S. Border Patrol Processing Coordinators to enhance border security, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DECEMBER 17, 2019 Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico (for herself, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. HURD of Texas, Mr. PETERS, and Mr. CLOUD) introduced the fol- lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security A BILL To provide for U.S. Border Patrol Processing Coordinators to enhance border security, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Border Workforce Effi- 4 ciency Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. U.S. BORDER PATROL PROCESSING COORDINATOR 6 POSITIONS. 7 (a) PROCESSING COORDINATORS.—The Commis- 8 sioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is author- 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:47 Dec 27, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5468.IH H5468 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 5468 IH ized to hire and train U.S. Border Patrol Processing Coor- 1 dinators to operate within the U.S. Border Patrol to— 2 (1) perform administrative tasks related to the 3 intake and processing of individuals apprehended by 4 U.S. Border Patrol agents, where necessary; 5 (2) transport individuals in U.S. Border Patrol 6 custody, where necessary; and 7 (3) perform custodial watch duties of individ- 8 uals in such custody, including individuals who have 9 been admitted to a hospital. 10 (b) CLARIFIED AUTHORITIES.—A U.S. Border Pa- 11 trol Processing Coordinator hired under subsection (a) 12 may not arrest or otherwise detain any person as described 13 in section 235, 236, or 287(a), of the Immigration and 14 Nationality Act and such a Coordinator may not conduct 15 any interview under section 235(b)(1)(B) of the Immigra- 16 tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1225(b)(1)(B)). 17 (c) TRAINING.—The Commissioner of U.S. Customs 18 and Border Protection, in coordination with the Chief of 19 the U.S. Border Patrol and in consultation with the Direc- 20 tor of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, 21 shall develop tailored training for U.S. Border Patrol 22 Processing Coordinators. 23 (d) ASSOCIATED SUPPORT STAFF.—The Commis- 24 sioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is author- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:47 Dec 27, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5468.IH H5468 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 5468 IH ized to hire appropriate professional support staff to facili- 1 tate the hiring, training, and other support functions re- 2 quired by U.S. Border Patrol Processing Coordinators. 3 (e) BIANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 180 days 4 after the date of the enactment of this Act and biannually 5 thereafter for the following two years, the Secretary of 6 Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee on 7 Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and 8 the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 9 Affairs of the Senate a report regarding each U.S. Border 10 Patrol sector that includes information relating to the fol- 11 lowing: 12 (1) The number of U.S. Border Patrol Proc- 13 essing Coordinators assigned to each such sector. 14 (2) The degree to which the responsibilities de- 15 scribed in subsection (a) have been transferred from 16 U.S. Border Patrol agents to U.S. Border Patrol 17 Processing Coordinators. 18 (3) The percentage of U.S. Border Patrol 19 agents who returned to field operations as a result 20 of U.S. Border Patrol Processing Coordinators un- 21 dertaking the responsibilities described in subsection 22 (a). 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:47 Dec 27, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5468.IH H5468 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 5468 IH (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 1 authorized to be appropriated $19,000,000 for each of fis- 2 cal years 2020 through 2023 to carry out this Act. 3 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:47 Dec 27, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H5468.IH H5468 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS