Cooperation on Combatting Human Smuggling and Trafficking Act

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4574 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4574

To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to enhance border security 
  by seeking to expand partnerships with appropriate law enforcement 
entities in Mexico and Central American and South American countries to 
 combat human smuggling and trafficking operations in Mexico and such 
                   countries, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 12, 2023

 Mr. Correa (for himself and Mr. Higgins of Louisiana) introduced the 
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland 
Security, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, 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 direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to enhance border security 
  by seeking to expand partnerships with appropriate law enforcement 
entities in Mexico and Central American and South American countries to 
 combat human smuggling and trafficking operations in Mexico and such 
                   countries, 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 ``Cooperation on Combatting Human 
Smuggling and Trafficking Act''.

SEC. 2. DHS PARTNERSHIPS TO COMBAT HUMAN SMUGGLING AND TRAFFICKING.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
coordination with appropriate Federal partners, shall enhance border 
security by seeking to expand partnerships with appropriate law 
enforcement entities in Mexico and Central American and South American 
countries to combat human smuggling and trafficking operations in 
Mexico and such countries, including through the following:
            (1) The establishment or expansion of cross-border 
        transnational criminal investigative units to identify, 
        disrupt, and support the prosecution of human smuggling and 
        trafficking operations.
            (2) Enhanced participation in the Bilateral Human 
        Trafficking Enforcement Initiative or successor initiative.
            (3) Advanced training for certain investigators and 
        prosecutors from Mexico and such countries.
    (b) Investigation and Prosecution of Human Smuggling and 
Trafficking.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall seek to expand 
collaborative programs involving Homeland Security Investigations that 
are aimed at supporting the investigation and prosecution of human 
smugglers and traffickers targeting children and families that pose 
border security threats and operate at the southern land border of the 
United States, including the continuation and expansion of anti-
trafficking coordination teams.
    (c) Information Campaign to Deter Migration.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
        carry out targeted public information campaigns to inform 
        targeted migrant populations within Mexico, Central America, 
        South America, and certain other countries with high migration 
        rates regarding the dangers of travel across Mexico to the 
        United States. Such campaigns shall combat misinformation and 
        disinformation by transnational criminal organizations and 
        other nefarious actors regarding United States laws or 
        policies.
            (2) Specifications.--The information campaigns implemented 
        pursuant to paragraph (1) shall, to the greatest extent 
        possible--
                    (A) be targeted at populations and localities with 
                high migration rates;
                    (B) employ a variety of communications media; and
                    (C) be developed in consultation with appropriate 
                program officials of the Department of State and, as 
                appropriate, Mexican, Central American, South American, 
                and other appropriate foreign governments, nonprofit or 
                academic entities, and representatives acting on behalf 
                of targeted migrant populations, including repatriated 
                migrants.
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