Sponsors (2)
The bill channels federal funds to upgrade land ports of entry and supporting local infrastructure—helping trade, border communities, and tribes—but increases federal spending and creates priorities and selection rules (security metrics, administrative discretion, matching requirements, and eligibility thresholds) that may shift resources away from some community, environmental, or mid-sized rural needs.
State, tribal, and local governments (especially border and rural communities) can receive grants to build or upgrade land port of entry facilities and supporting transportation/water infrastructure, improving trade flow, reducing local congestion, and strengthening local transport links.
Local, state, and tribal entities that already invested in eligible projects since Nov 15, 2021 can be reimbursed (up to 70%), and rural or high-priority homeland-security projects may receive reduced or waived matching requirements, easing local budget strain and expanding access to federal funds.
Tribal governments and member-owned utilities are explicitly eligible for these grants, increasing funding avenues for tribal infrastructure needs and improving equity of access to federal support.
Border and nearby communities risk having community, environmental, or public-health projects deprioritized because project selection may favor border-security and trade-efficiency metrics (e.g., predicted drug seizures), shifting funds away from local needs.
Taxpayers face potential increased federal spending and budgetary pressure because the program is funded on an open-ended basis ('such sums as may be necessary') and multiple sections authorize expenditures to support port-adjacent projects.
Standard matching requirements (generally 30%) could be a financial barrier for cash-strapped local and tribal governments unless waivers are granted, delaying or preventing needed projects.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Introduced December 16, 2025 by Ruben Gallego · Last progress December 16, 2025
Authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to create a grant program that funds community infrastructure projects that support or mitigate impacts from land ports of entry. Eligible recipients include State, Tribal, and local governments and not-for-profit, member-owned utilities; projects range from transportation and utility upgrades to resilience, border-security-related improvements, CBP family quality-of-life projects, and community-impact remediation. Sets definitions for eligible projects and rural areas, requires the Secretary to set eligibility criteria and guidance, generally requires a 30% non-federal match (with rural and homeland-security exceptions), allows reimbursement for eligible prior spending back to Nov 15, 2021, and authorizes “such sums as may be necessary” to carry out the program with funds available until expended.