Congresswoman Lee Helps Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Boost Law Enforcement Coordination at Southern Border

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) helped introduce the bipartisan Advanced Border Coordination Act with Reps. Dave Joyce (OH-14), Chris Pappas (NH-01), and Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06). The legislation would improve coordination between various law enforcement agencies to secure the southern border. 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has periodically established joint operations hubs to help multiple law enforcement agencies work together to strengthen border security and crack down on transnational criminal activity, such as drug, weapon, and human trafficking. This bill expands on this successful interagency cooperation model by establishing additional Joint Operation Centers along the southern border. 

The bill has been endorsed by the National Border Patrol Council, National Immigration Forum, the Texas Border Coalition, and the Major Cities Chiefs Association. A companion bill was previously introduced in the Senate by Senators Cortez-Masto (D-NV) and Blackburn (R-TN).

“Border Patrol officers need all the help they can get to protect our southern border, and Joint Operation Centers are a proven way to make that happen,” said Congresswoman Susie Lee. “I’ve consistently voted to secure the resources and reforms we need to fix our broken immigration system, and this bipartisan bill is a big step in the right direction. I’ll continue working with Republicans and Democrats to get this much-needed legislation signed into law.”  

The Advanced Border Coordination Act would: 

• Direct DHS to establish at least two joint operations centers along the southern border. These hubs would help law enforcement from multiple Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies work together. 
• Establish that these centralized hubs serve as resources to improve field operations, help detect and deter criminal activity like drug and human trafficking, and support workforce development and training coordination between participating agencies. 
• Require an annual report to Congress on the centers' operational activities and recommendations for coordinated federal actions at the southern border. 

Participating agencies would include DHS, the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, other federal agencies as the DHS Secretary determines appropriate, and state, local, and Tribal agencies that voluntarily choose to participate. 

Congresswoman Lee has worked to fix our broken immigration system since her first year representing southern Nevada in Congress. She has been an outspoken supporter of legislation such as the Dignity Act, which was just endorsed by Republicans and Democrats in the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, as well as the bipartisan Senate border agreement that was killed by Republican Leadership. 

“I’ve visited the southern border, including in Arizona’s Sixth Congressional District with Congressman Ciscomani and seen the crisis unfolding there firsthand,” said Congressman Dave Joyce. “For the safety of our communities, we have to restore the rule of law and secure our borders, and DHS must take serious steps to improve its coordination with partner agencies. This bill will help us do just that. As a former prosecutor, I know how successful joint operations centers can be, especially when it comes to detecting drug and human trafficking, and have no doubt they will help us address the national security crisis that has exploded at our southern border. I’m proud to join colleagues in this bipartisan effort and will continue to provide our law enforcement officers with the resources and tools they need to effectively defend and maintain our borders.” 

“For the last three and a half years, border-districts, like mine, have been on the frontlines of the crisis at the southern border,” said Congressman Juan Ciscomani. “As a result, our communities are less safe and Customs and Border Protection agents and local law enforcement officers are overwhelmed and overworked. This bipartisan legislation will address this issue by establishing joint operation centers to enhance coordination between federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and provide officers and agents the tools they need to combat drug traffickers, human smugglers, and other bad actors." 

“Strengthening border operations coordination will bolster efforts to crack down on drug trafficking, help enforce our immigration laws, and keep our communities safe. I’m helping introduce the Advanced Border Coordination Act, which will do just that,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “This bipartisan bill would establish joint centers along the southern border to serve as centralized hubs to coordinate border operations between Border Patrol personnel and federal, state, and local law enforcement. I’ll keep fighting to support the work of our law enforcement, provide them the resources they need, and address the root causes of the issues at the southern border.” 

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