Passing With Overwhelming Bipartisan Support, The Emerging Innovative Border Technologies Act Would Detail Areas Where High-Tech Solutions Can Enhance Border Security
WASHINGTON — Today, Representatives Lou Correa (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee, and Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) announced that their bill, the Emerging Innovative Border Technologies Act, passed the House with bipartisan support.
This bipartisan piece of legislation would enhance border security operations by requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to present a plan to Congress for integrating innovative technologies, like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and nanotechnology, at the border. This legislation passed the House last year with unanimous, bipartisan support.
This legislation came after DHS’ announcement of its “Artificial Intelligence Roadmap” last year. The roadmap details DHS’s 2024 plans, including to test uses of the technologies that deliver meaningful benefits to the American public and advance homeland security, while ensuring that individuals’ privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties are protected while increasing trade and commerce.
“Border security means keeping drugs and other negative elements away from our communities, as well as utilizing cutting-edge technology that is already available to maintain trade and commerce and give our hard-working officers the tools they need to keep us safe,” Correa said. “With this bipartisan effort, Congress will better-understand how our officers can use new technology to stop the fentanyl trade. I look forward to seeing this legislation pass the United States Senate and make its way to President Trump’s desk.”
Investment in technology that enhances border security can help Customs and Border Protection (CBP) identify and respond more quickly to life-threatening situations. The implementation of remote sensing technologies—like infrared cameras and ground-based sensors—can help law enforcement detect and respond to stranded migrants crossing in remote and deadly conditions, as well as cases of human trafficking and smuggling. Plus, advanced AI-powered image recognition systems can help detect and classify illicit substances at ports of entry.
"Securing our border requires more than just manpower -- it requires cutting-edge technology that gives our agents the tools they need to stay ahead of the threats we face. This bill passing the House with strong bipartisan support shows that securing our border isn’t a partisan issue, it’s a national security priority,” Luttrell said. “I’m proud to work alongside Congressman Correa to find solutions to enhance the safety of Americans. Now, it’s time for the Senate to take this up and send it on to President Trump to be signed into law.”
Specifically, the Emerging Innovative Border Technologies Act would:
- Require the Secretary of Homeland Security, within 180 days, to submit a comprehensive plan to Congress to identify, integrate, and deploy new, innovative, disruptive, or other emerging technologies into border security operations.
- Authorize one or more CBP Innovation Teams to research and adapt commercial technologies that are new, innovative, or disruptive into border security operations to address both capability gaps and urgent mission needs and assess their potential outcomes.
- Require each CBP Innovation Team to have both operating procedures that clarify roles and responsibilities within such team with respect to DHS and non-Federal partners as well as protocols for entering agreements to rapidly transition technologies into new or existing programs of record.
You can read the full text of the legislation HERE.