Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced companion legislation to the Comprehensive Southern Border Strategy Act (H.R. 7260), led by Rep. Young Kim (CA-39) to create a strategy to address the ongoing crisis at the Southern border.
Rep. Young Kim and House Homeland Security Committee Vice Ranking Member Michael Guest (MS-03) introduced the bill in the House in March 2022. Senator Tillis was joined by Sens. Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and James Inhofe (R-OK).
“The crisis on our Southern border continues to hurt the most vulnerable and put the safety of Americans at risk as we witness record-high illegal crossings and deadly drugs like fentanyl flowing freely into our streets, schools and communities. As long as this border crisis persists, our communities suffer,” said Kim. “I thank Senators Tillis, Hyde-Smith, Hagerty and Inhofe for introducing this bill in the Senate so we can finally create a comprehensive strategy to gain operational control of our border at every mile and ensure taxpayer dollars are used effectively.”
“The Biden Administration has proven time and time again that they have no strategy for gaining control of our southern border, and its time they start showing some leadership and accountability,” said Senator Tillis. “The situation at our border is undeniably a crisis as the cartels continue their human trafficking and their smuggling of illicit drugs like fentanyl into our country. This legislation will ensure that DHS enacts a plan, using every resource available. I am proud to introduce this legislation with my colleagues because the American people deserve to see this administration finally taking control of this chaos.”
Under federal law, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has completed a comprehensive Northern border strategy, but no strategy currently exists for our Southern border.
The bill directs DHS to submit a comprehensive strategy within 12 months of enactment to the House Committee on Homeland Security and Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs that includes:
- An overview of the current security risks at the Southern border;
- A review of DHS’s tools used to combat drug trafficking with a focus on fentanyl and related substances;
- A detailed account of which type of physical barrier, technology or other device DHS believes is best to maintain operational control for each mile of the Southern border and why;
- A per mile cost calculation for each mile of the Southern border for which type of security device used; and,
- Cost justifications for each time a more expensive device was chosen.
