Brindisi Supports Bill to Strengthen Border Security and Stop Flow of Illegal Drugs into Our Communities
Press Release
Congressman Anthony Brindisi worked to secure our southern border and strengthen our national security by voting to pass the Securing America's Ports Act. The legislation, supported by Democrats and Republicans, requires the Department of Homeland Security to increase development of nonintrusive technology to screen all vehicles entering the United States through the southern border and all land ports of entry.
"Keeping our country safe is my top priority," Brindisi said. "We need to be doing everything we can to secure our border and that includes using the latest technology available to try and stop drug and human traffickers. By working together to secure our border and fix our broken immigration system, we will make our country safer and boost our trade economy. This common sense legislation will support our law enforcement officers at the border and help stop the flow of deadly illegal drugs into our communities."
Currently, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) does not scan all vehicles entering the United States through the southern border and the scanning rates vary by port of entry. In an October 2019 House Homeland Security Committee hearing, CBP said that, on average, they currently scan less than 20% of commercial trucks and less than 2% of passenger vehicles entering the United States. The Securing America's Ports Act would require CBP to report on its progress until it reaches a 100% scan rate. Brindisi, an advocate in the fight to crack down on illegal drugs, recently introduced the Identifying Drug Cartels as Terrorists Act to list seven Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations as defined by section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Additionally, Brindisi's Fentanyl Sanctions Act was signed into law by President Trump as part of the recent National Defense Authorization Act.
The Securing America's Ports Act passed the House of Representatives.
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