Southwest Border Security Threat Assessment Act of 2017

An assessment of current and potential terrorism and criminal threats posed by individuals and organized groups seeking to—

An assessment of improvements needed at and between ports of entry along the southwest border to prevent terrorists and instruments of terror from entering the United States.

An assessment of gaps in law, policy, and coordination between State, local, or tribal law enforcement, international agreements, or tribal agreements that hinder effective and efficient border security, counterterrorism, and anti-human smuggling and trafficking efforts.

An assessment of the flow of legitimate trade along the southwest border.

An assessment of the current percentage of situational awareness achieved by the Department of Homeland Security along the southwest border.

An assessment of the current percentage of operational control (as such term is defined in section 2 of the Secure Fence Act of 2006 (8 U.S.C. 1701 note; Public Law 109–367)) achieved by the Department of Homeland Security of the southwest.

An assessment of impact of trusted traveler programs on border wait times and border security.

An assessment of traveler crossing times and any potential security vulnerability associated with prolonged wait times.

Technology needs and challenges, including such needs and challenges identified as a result of previous investments that have not fully realized the security and operational benefits that were sought.

Personnel needs and challenges, including such needs and challenges associated with recruitment and hiring.

Infrastructure needs and challenges.

The roles and authorities of State, local, and tribal law enforcement in general border security activities.

The status of coordination among Federal, State, local, tribal, and Mexican law enforcement entities relating to border security.

The terrain, population density, and climate along the southwest border.

International agreements between the United States and Mexico related to border security.

The southwest border threat analysis required under section 2, with an emphasis on efforts to mitigate threats identified in such threat analysis.

Efforts to analyze and disseminate border security and border threat information between Department of Homeland Security border security components and with other appropriate Federal departments and agencies with missions associated with the border.

Efforts to increase situational awareness, including the following:

Efforts to detect and prevent terrorists and instruments of terrorism from entering the United States.

Efforts to detect, interdict, and disrupt aliens and illicit drugs at the earliest possible point.

Efforts to focus intelligence collection to disrupt transnational criminal organizations outside of the international and maritime borders of the United States.

Efforts to ensure that any new border security technology can be operationally integrated with existing technologies in use by the Department of Homeland Security.

Technology required to maintain, support, and enhance security and facilitate trade at ports of entry, including nonintrusive detection equipment, radiation detection equipment, biometric technology, surveillance systems, and other sensors and technology that the Secretary of Homeland Security determines necessary.

Operational coordination unity of effort initiatives of the border security components of the Department of Homeland Security, including any relevant task forces of the Department.

Lessons learned from Operation Jumpstart and Operation Phalanx.

Cooperative agreements and information sharing with State, local, tribal, territorial, and other Federal law enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction on the northern or southern border.

Border security information received from consultation with State, local, tribal, territorial, and Federal law enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction on the northern or southern border, or in the maritime environment, and from border community stakeholders (including through public meetings with such stakeholders), including representatives from border agricultural and ranching organizations and representatives from business and civic organizations along the northern or southern border.

Staffing requirements for all departmental border security functions.

A prioritized list of departmental research and development objectives to enhance the security of the southwest border.

An assessment of training programs, including training programs regarding the following:

An assessment of how border security operations affect crossing times.