In committee
Subterranean Border Defense Act
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to submit an annual report to Congress detailing its operations to detect and shut down illegal underground smuggling tunnels along U.S. borders. Under previous law, federal border officials were only required to submit a one-time report when they first created their anti-tunnel strategy. The ongoing reporting requires border agencies to regularly account for the technology, manpower, and funding used to stop subterranean drug and human smuggling.
People affected—The text establishes an inter-agency reporting mandate directed at the Department of Homeland Security and does not directly govern or enumerate a specific group of individuals.
Fiscal magnitude—The text does not authorize new appropriations, specify dollar amounts, or impose fees; reporting costs are absorbed within existing agency budgets.
Reach8provisional · pending reviewrigor: heuristic llm
What this bill touches.
Ethics & oversight+14Enforcement & security−8
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- CongressReceives ongoing annual reporting and strategic updates from the Department of Homeland Security regarding counter-tunnel operations under Section 2.
Who it burdens
- Department of Homeland SecurityMust prepare and submit annual reports to Congress on counter-tunnel strategy and operations, turning a one-time reporting mandate into an ongoing annual duty under Section 2.
The provisions, in plain language.
Requires the Department of Homeland Security to submit annual reports to Congress on its strategy and operations to counter illegal cross-border tunnels, extending what was previously a one-time reporting requirement.