Central American and USA Initiatives Act or the CAUSA Initiatives Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to work with Canada, Mexico, and the countries of Central America to establish a program to:
Directs the Secretary to work with:
Directs the Secretary, through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to:
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5261 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5261
To establish a North and Central American and Caribbean border security
cooperation initiative, enhance the security of Mexico's southern
border, improve United States short term detention standards, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 30, 2014
Ms. Loretta Sanchez of California introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to
the Committees on Homeland Security and the Judiciary, for a period to
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a North and Central American and Caribbean border security
cooperation initiative, enhance the security of Mexico's southern
border, improve United States short term detention standards, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Central American and USA Initiatives
Act'' or the ``CAUSA Initiatives Act''.
SEC. 2. NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICAN BORDER SECURITY COOPERATION
INITIATIVE.
(a) Border Security Cooperation Initiative.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, in
coordination with the Secretary of State and other appropriate
United States officials, shall work with the appropriate
officials of the Government of Canada and the Government of
Mexico, in conjunction with representatives from the
governments of Central American countries, to establish a
program to--
(A) assess the specific needs of Central American
countries to maintain the security of the international
borders of such countries;
(B) determine the support needed by such countries
from the United States, Canada, and Mexico, to meet
such needs; and
(C) assess the current structure for handling
displaced minors and other vulnerable individuals in
Central American countries and recommendations to
improve such structure.
(2) Consideration.--Any actions taken pursuant to this
subsection by the individuals referred to in paragraph (1)
shall be taken in accordance with the goals of advancing human
rights and economic opportunities, as well as programming and
support for the rule of law, good governance, and civil
society.
(b) Report.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the
Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate a report on the assessments and determination carried out in
accordance with subsection (a).
SEC. 3. CARIBBEAN BORDER SECURITY COOPERATION INITIATIVES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, in cooperation
with the Secretary of State, shall work with appropriate officials of
the governments of the countries of the Caribbean to establish a
program to assess the specific needs of such countries to address the
unique challenges of maritime border security.
(b) Report.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the
Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate a report on the assessment of needs carried out in accordance
with subsection (a).
SEC. 4. ENHANCING THE SECURITY OF MEXICO'S SOUTHERN BORDER.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, in
coordination with the Secretary of State, shall work with appropriate
officials of the Government of Mexico to establish a program to assess
the specific needs of Mexico to help secure Mexico's southern border
from undocumented aliens, drugs, weapons, and other contraband. Such
plan shall include--
(1) a comprehensive plan for the deployment and use of
technology along the southern border of Mexico, which at a
minimum shall contain--
(A) an assessment of current technology
capabilities along the southern border of Mexico;
(B) a description of the research and development
capabilities of the Government of Mexico, and
collaboration between the Science and Technology
Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security to
help improve such capabilities; and
(C) a description of Mexico's technology needs to
address southern border crossing transportation
screening, including vehicle, pedestrian and rail
screening; and
(2) a comprehensive plan for the repatriation of migrants
to their home countries, which at a minimum shall contain--
(A) a description of the ways the Government of
Mexico and the Government of the United States can
coordinate with international non-governmental
organizations to ensure humane repatriation methods are
practiced;
(B) a description of the training, personnel and
equipment needed to implement such a repatriation
program; and
(C) an assessment of current and future land and
rail ports of entry infrastructure that will be needed
to maintain legitimate border activity along the
southern border of Mexico.
(b) Report.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the
Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate a report on the assessment of needs carried out in accordance
with subsection (a).
SEC. 5. IMPROVING UNITED STATES SHORT TERM DETENTION STANDARDS.
(a) Proper Access to Adequate Facilities and Personal Needs Upon or
as Soon as Practicable Following Apprehension and During Short Term
Detention at Border Patrol Processing Centers.--The Secretary of
Homeland Security, acting through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and
Border Protection, shall ensure that adequate facilities and sustaining
needs, such as access to food and water, medical care and sanitary
facilities, are provided to an individual apprehended and detained by a
Border Patrol agent between ports of entry upon or as soon as
practicable following the time of such apprehension or during
subsequent short term detention.
(b) Access to Information on Detainee Rights at Border Patrol
Processing Centers.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting
through Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection,
shall ensure that an individual unlawfully present in the
United States who is apprehended by a Border Patrol agent is
promptly provided with information concerning such individual's
rights, including the right to contact a representative of such
individual's government for purposes of United States treaty
obligations.
(2) Form.--The information referred to in paragraph (1) may
be provided either verbally or in writing by the apprehending
Border Patrol agent, and shall be posted in the detention
holding cell in which such individual is being held. The
information shall be provided in a language understandable to
such individual.
(c) Documentation Concerning Repatriated Individuals.--The
Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through Commissioner of U.S.
Customs and Border Protection, shall establish and maintain a database
containing the following information relating to individuals unlawfully
present in the United States who are apprehended and detained by Border
Patrol agents:
(1) Information on the location of apprehension.
(2) Information on family members separated by the Border
Patrol during apprehension or detention.
(3) Information on the medical conditions of apprehended
and detained individuals during short term detention.
(4) Information on any personal property that was returned
to the individual upon repatriation.
(d) Daytime Repatriation.--Repatriations shall be limited to
daylight hours and avoid locations that are determined to have high
indices of crime and violence.
(e) Short Term Detention Defined.--In this section, the term
``short term detention'' means detention of an individual in a Border
Patrol processing center for 72 hours or less, before repatriation of
such individual to such individual's country of nationality or last
habitual residence.
(f) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment
of this section, the Comptroller General of the United States shall
submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs of the Senate a report on the procurement process and standards
of entities with which the Department of Homeland Security has
contracts for the transportation and detention of individuals
unlawfully present in the United States who are apprehended by agents
or officers of the Department. Such report should also consider the
operational efficiency of contracting out for the transportation and
detention of individuals unlawfully present in the United States.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security.
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.
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