Border Workforce Improvement Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 1930
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Immigration
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-03-06: Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.
- Last Updated
- 2025-05-12T16:47:28Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Border Workforce Improvement Act (H.R. 1930) aims to evaluate and address staffing shortages and operational challenges for U.S. border security agencies at the southern U.S. border. It focuses on improving workforce efficiency for agencies handling immigration and customs enforcement by requiring a detailed assessment of their needs.
Key Provisions
- Assessment Requirement: Within 90 days of the bill's enactment, the Secretary of Homeland Security must lead a study, in coordination with the heads of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP, which manages border entries and exits), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE, which enforces immigration laws inside the U.S.), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS, which processes immigration benefits). The study targets staffing needs at the southern border.
- Elements of the Assessment:
- Review current staffing models and methods for deploying personnel across the southern border and nationwide, including the impacts of relying on temporary staff rotations (details) and extra hours (overtime) to cover shortages.
- Identify internal and external factors increasing workloads and staffing issues, along with solutions that these agencies can implement independently or that require new laws from Congress.
- Pinpoint major gaps in human resources (like personnel shortages), technology adoption, and efficient risk assessment systems (tools to prioritize threats or tasks).
- Reporting Mandate: Within 180 days after completing the assessment, the Secretary must submit a report to specific congressional committees. The report will include the assessment's findings and plans for how the agencies will put its recommendations into action.
- Definition of Committees: The report goes to the House Committee on Homeland Security and House Appropriations Committee, as well as the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Senate Appropriations Committee.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces a new, one-time requirement for a comprehensive staffing assessment and report, which does not currently exist in law. It does not amend specific statutes but could lead to future legislative or administrative changes based on the report's recommendations, such as budget adjustments or hiring reforms.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: CBP, ICE, and USCIS may see improved resource allocation if recommendations are implemented, reducing reliance on overtime and temporary fixes. This could enhance border security operations, processing times for immigrants, and overall efficiency, though it requires congressional funding for any expansions.
- On Citizens: Indirect benefits could include more effective border management, potentially reducing illegal crossings or backlogs in immigration services, which affect U.S. communities near the border and nationwide immigration applicants.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, but better-staffed agencies could lead to smoother handling of cross-border trade, travel, and migration issues with Mexico and other southern neighbors.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Primary: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leadership and frontline staff at CBP, ICE, and USCIS, who handle daily border operations.
- Secondary: Members of Congress on the specified committees, who oversee funding and policy; border communities and businesses reliant on efficient customs processing; and immigrant applicants or detainees affected by agency workloads.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens congressional oversight of executive branch agencies under existing homeland security laws, without raising separation of powers concerns, as it mandates reporting rather than dictating operations.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority to regulate immigration and appropriate funds (Article I, Section 8), potentially informing future appropriations bills.
- Political: Highlights ongoing debates on border security and immigration enforcement amid staffing shortages; introduced by Democratic representatives, it could influence bipartisan discussions on workforce funding without partisan mandates.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (6)
Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1], Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49], Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33], Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4], Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7], Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16]
Recent Actions
- 2025-03-06: Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.
- 2025-03-06: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on 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.
- 2025-03-06: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on 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.
- 2025-03-06: Introduced in House
- 2025-03-06: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Border Workforce Improvement Act — issued 2025-03-06 — PDF (3 pages)