House Republicans on Thursday passed their border security bill that would that would authorize at least 900 miles of a wall and related technology and infrastructure along the nation’s southwest border.
The 219 to 213 vote included all but two Republicans in favor–Reps. Thomas Massie (Ky.) and John Duarte (Calif.)–and all Democrats opposed.
The Secure Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2) contains the same border security provisions of the Border Reinforcement Act of 2023 (H.R. 2794) that was introduced in April by Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee, and additional measures for immigration enforcement and workforce eligibility. The bill was introduced by Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.).
The bill doesn’t have the support of the Biden administration or Democrats in the Senate.
Diaz-Balart’s bill would authorize $125 million in funding for the next two fiscal years to upgrade outdated license plate readers at ports of entry and another $33 million annually over the same period for Customs and Border Protection’s integrated and surveillance detection systems at land ports of entry by 2025.
CBP is currently in the process of expanding its use of non-intrusive inspection (NII) systems to scan passenger and commercial vehicles entering the U.S. at land ports of entry. The deployments of the NII systems have been delayed, largely due to the related civil engineering work related to installing the systems, but new multi-energy portals designed to safely screen the occupied cab at a safe, low energy level and a cargo conveyance at a high-energy level are poised to begin significant installations this year.
The new NII systems are expected to increase the amount of illegal drugs that are hidden inside vehicles from being smuggled into the U.S.
“Our plan will increase the number of Border Patrol agents, provide effective border enforcement technology, resume construction of the border wall, and end the administration’s catch and release policy,” House Republican leaders said in a statement following passage of their bill.
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee, condemned what he calls “The extreme MAGA Republican Child Deportation Act.”
“If Republicans were serious about securing the border and preventing fentanyl trafficking, they would have put in provisions to secure our ports of entry, where over 90 percent of the fentanyl and other drugs that CBP interdicts are found,” Thompson said in a statement. “If this was a legitimate effort, they would work with Democrats to expand legal pathways for migrants and address the root cause of migration.”