Sponsors (12)
The bill aims to speed and strengthen land-port inspections through testing modern imaging and AI—potentially improving throughput and security—while trading off significant privacy risks and likely cost or budget pressures that could shift or reduce other federal services.
Travelers, border communities, and commercial shippers will likely see shorter wait times and less-disruptive inspections as CBP tests nonintrusive imaging and AI tools to increase inspection throughput at land ports of entry.
Law enforcement and border security personnel can detect contraband, illegal drugs, and weapons more accurately as tested technologies (AI/ML, quantum sensing, advanced imaging) enhance inspection capabilities.
CBP and related agencies gain clearer internal authority and program structure (CBP Innovation Team plus required reporting/privacy analyses), which should improve implementation, oversight, and (potentially) transparency before broad deployments.
People in border communities, travelers, and immigrants face increased surveillance and privacy/civil‑liberties risks as enhanced imaging and AI systems collect and analyze more personal data, and required safeguards/audits may be insufficient to prevent misuse or mission creep.
Taxpayers and federal programs risk higher costs because deploying, procuring, and maintaining advanced inspection systems across land ports could be expensive and may require reallocating funds from other programs.
Travelers, transportation workers, and small businesses could experience delays, false positives, or burdens from automated threat-recognition systems (AI/ML errors), disrupting travel and commerce.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Requires DHS/CBP to run land‑port pilot projects testing AI, quantum sensing, HPC and other tech to improve nonintrusive inspections and contraband detection using existing funds.
Official title: Establish a pilot program to assess the use of technology to speed up and enhance the cargo inspection process at land ports of entry along the border.
Introduced February 25, 2025 by John Cornyn · Last progress February 25, 2025
Requires the Department of Homeland Security, through CBP's Innovation Team and partners, to run pilot projects at land ports of entry to test AI, machine learning, quantum sensing, high-performance computing, and other emerging technology enhancements for nonintrusive inspection equipment to improve detection of contraband (including fentanyl), weapons, and human smuggling while reducing inspection times. The pilot work must evaluate detection performance, operational efficiency, safety, integration ease, mobility, and cost-effectiveness, may solicit private‑sector input, and must be carried out using existing appropriations (no new funds authorized).