§ 240. Border Enforcement Security Task Force

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(a)Establishment There is established within the Department a program to be known as the Border Enforcement Security Task Force (referred to in this section as “BEST”).

(b)Purpose The purpose of BEST is to establish units to enhance border security by addressing and reducing border security threats and violence by—

(1)facilitating collaboration among Federal, State, local, tribal, and foreign law enforcement agencies to execute coordinated activities in furtherance of border security, and homeland security; and

(2)enhancing information-sharing, including the dissemination of homeland security information among such agencies.

(c)Composition and establishment of units

(1)Composition BEST units may be comprised of personnel from—

(A)U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement;

(B)U.S. Customs and Border Protection;

(C)the United States Coast Guard;

(D)other Department personnel, as appropriate 1

(E)other Federal agencies, as appropriate;

(F)appropriate State law enforcement agencies;

(G)foreign law enforcement agencies, as appropriate;

(H)local law enforcement agencies from affected border cities and communities; and

(I)appropriate tribal law enforcement agencies.

(2)Establishment of units The Secretary is authorized to establish BEST units in jurisdictions in which such units can contribute to BEST missions, as appropriate. Before establishing a BEST unit, the Secretary shall consider—

(A)whether the area in which the BEST unit would be established is significantly impacted by cross-border threats;

(B)the availability of Federal, State, local, tribal, and foreign law enforcement resources to participate in the BEST unit;

(C)the extent to which border security threats are having a significant harmful impact in the jurisdiction in which the BEST unit is to be established, and other jurisdictions in the country; and

(D)whether or not an Integrated Border Enforcement Team already exists in the area in which the BEST unit would be established.

(3)Duplication of efforts In determining whether to establish a new BEST unit or to expand an existing BEST unit in a given jurisdiction, the Secretary shall ensure that the BEST unit under consideration does not duplicate the efforts of other existing interagency task forces or centers within that jurisdiction.

(d)Operation After determining the jurisdictions in which to establish BEST units under subsection (c)(2), and in order to provide Federal assistance to such jurisdictions, the Secretary may—

(1)direct the assignment of Federal personnel to BEST, subject to the approval of the head of the department or agency that employs such personnel; and

(2)take other actions to assist Federal, State, local, and tribal entities to participate in BEST, including providing financial assistance, as appropriate, for operational, administrative, salary reimbursement, and technological costs associated with the participation of Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in BEST.

(e)Report Not later than 180 days after the date on which BEST is established under this section, and annually thereafter for the following 5 years, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress that describes the effectiveness of BEST in enhancing border security and reducing the drug trafficking, arms smuggling, illegal alien trafficking and smuggling, violence, and kidnapping along and across the international borders of the United States, as measured by crime statistics, including violent deaths, incidents of violence, and drug-related arrests.

(Pub. L. 107–296, title IV, § 432, as added Pub. L. 112–205, § 3(a), Dec. 7, 2012, 126 Stat. 1488; amended Pub. L. 117–159, div. A, title II, § 12004(j), June 25, 2022, 136 Stat. 1332.)

Connections58 cite this · traces to 2

Cited by 58 sections · top 38

U.S. Code

public-private-law

Public Law 117-159
Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

statute-compilations

statutes-at-large

bill

Traces to 2 documents

public-private-law

Bipartisan Safer Communities Act
Public Law 117-159

U.S. Code

Unlawful acts
§ 922

7 references not yet in our index

1
Pub. L. 107–296, title IV, § 432
Pub. L. 112–205, § 3(a)
126 Stat. 1488
136 Stat. 1332
Pub. L. 112–205, § 2
126 Stat. 1487

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§ 240

Border Enforcement Security Task Force

Bills×47

Stat. Comp.×4

Stat.×3

U.S.C.×3

Pub. L.×1

Pub. L.Public Law 117-159

U.S.C.§ 922

Cite1

Pub. L.Pub. L. 107–296, title IV, § 432

Pub. L.Pub. L. 112–205, § 3(a)

Stat.126 Stat. 1488

Stat.136 Stat. 1332

Cites 9 · showing 7Cited by 58 across 5 sources