Sponsors (5)
The bill increases criminal penalties and protections for law enforcement and border infrastructure to deter smuggling and damage, but it also expands felony exposure, raises penalties that increase incarceration costs, and creates legal uncertainty around firearm sentencing.
Law-enforcement (federal, state, local, and tribal) are more protected because transmitting their location or operational plans to facilitate immigration- or smuggling-related crimes is made a felony punishable by up to 10 years.
Border communities and federal employees at ports of entry gain stronger protection because destroying or circumventing fences, sensors, or cameras is criminalized with penalties up to 10 years (or up to 20 years if a firearm is used).
Federal agencies and prosecutors get clearer statutory definitions (e.g., 'alien smuggling crime', 'crime of violence', 'brandish') that can streamline prosecutions and interagency coordination.
Immigrants, border-community residents, and ordinary people who share location information (e.g., by phone or social media) face expanded felony exposure because transmitting location or plans can be prosecuted if alleged to further a covered federal crime.
Defendants nationwide may face legal uncertainty and broader mandatory firearm penalties because the bill restructures 18 U.S.C. §924(c) and edits multiple cross-references.
Taxpayers and communities may bear higher incarceration and corrections costs because the bill raises prison terms for offenses involving border infrastructure and firearms.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates new felonies for transmitting law-enforcement locations to further certain border crimes and for damaging/defeating border-control infrastructure; revises §924(c) and related definitions.
Introduced January 9, 2025 by Juan Ciscomani · Last progress January 9, 2025
Creates new federal crimes and increases penalties tied to border security and transnational criminal activity. It makes it a felony to knowingly relay the location, movement, or activities of federal, state, local, or tribal law enforcement when done with intent to further certain federal immigration, customs, drugs, agriculture, currency, or border-control crimes; to knowingly damage, alter, or defeat border-control fences, barriers, sensors, cameras, or other physical or electronic devices; and to attempt or conspire to commit those offenses. The measure also revises portions of the federal firearms statute (18 U.S.C. § 924(c)), updates related definitions, and adjusts cross-references across statutes.