Bill > HR506

This bill addresses several border security and national security issues through multiple key provisions. First, it authorizes $110 million annually from fiscal years 2025 through 2028 for Operation Stonegarden, a grant program supporting border security efforts, and establishes an Operation Stonegarden Trust Fund that will be funded by seized monetary instruments from border crossings. Second, the bill requires the Secretary of State to submit a report within 60 days assessing whether specific Mexican drug cartels (including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and Sinaloa Cartel) and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua meet the criteria for designation as foreign terrorist organizations. Third, the bill mandates a comprehensive technology needs analysis for Southwest border security, requiring the Department of Homeland Security to submit a detailed report within one year examining current technological capabilities, gaps, and potential advancements in border security technologies like surveillance systems, drone technology, and communication equipment. Additionally, the bill requires a report on the Department's hiring practices from 2018 to 2024, including recruitment information and recommendations for improving workforce operational capacity. These provisions are motivated by findings highlighting significant border encounters, terrorist watchlist interactions, drug seizures, and potential security threats along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/506/all-info