Bill > HR1678

This bill establishes comprehensive reforms to improve accountability, transparency, and oversight of border security operations in the United States. It creates a new Department of Homeland Security Border Oversight Commission composed of 30 members from northern and southern border regions, including local officials, law enforcement, civil rights advocates, and border patrol agents, to develop recommendations for improving border enforcement policies and evaluating their impact on border communities. The bill also establishes an independent Ombudsman for Border and Immigration-Related Concerns within the Department of Homeland Security, who will have broad powers to receive and investigate complaints, conduct facility inspections, and provide recommendations for improving border agency practices. Additionally, the legislation mandates enhanced training for Customs and Border Protection agents, including comprehensive courses on community relations, use of force, cultural awareness, and professional conduct. The bill requires detailed data collection on border stops and searches, mandates annual reports on migrant deaths and use of force incidents, and introduces strict limitations on family separations at the border, ensuring that children can only be removed from parents under specific, legally authorized circumstances. The overall goal is to increase transparency, protect civil rights, and improve the professionalism and accountability of border enforcement agencies.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1678/all-info