Transnational Criminal Organization Illicit Spotter Prevention and Elimination Act

This bill aims to stop people from getting in the way of immigration, border, and customs work. It targets those who share the locations or activities of law enforcement to help crimes at the border, and those who damage border control equipment. It also adds tougher penalties when guns are used during certain immigration crimes.

If someone knowingly shares where border agents are or what they are doing, to help crimes linked to immigration, customs, drugs, or other border rules, they could face up to 10 years in prison. Damaging or destroying a device used to control the border or a port of entry could also bring up to 10 years. The bill also increases punishment if a person carries or uses a firearm while committing certain immigration crimes, such as helping a non-U.S. national with a felony conviction enter the country.

• Who is affected: People who knowingly help others break border laws by sharing law enforcement locations, or by damaging border control equipment; people who use guns during certain immigration crimes.
• What changes: New crimes and tougher penalties to prevent “spotting” law enforcement and harming border control tools.