NDN/NPI Applaud Introduction of Border Enforcement Accountability Bill
The following is NDN/NPI's statement on the March 26th release of the “Border Enforcement Accountability, Oversight, and Community Engagement Act of 2014”:
"NDN and the New Policy Institute applaud the introduction of the bipartisan “Border Enforcement Accountability, Oversight, and Community Engagement Act of 2014” by Representatives O’Rourke (D-TX) and Pearce (R-NM). While much progress has been made at the border in recent years, no piece of the comprehensive immigration reform debate is more contentious than that of border and immigration enforcement. This bill works to improve the border enforcement system for all stakeholders, including port and enforcement personnel, people traveling across the border, and border communities. It would strengthen the system that facilitates our burgeoning cross-border travel and trade, bolsters national security, and discourages unauthorized migration, in keeping with American ideals.
NDN/NPI especially commend the bill’s proposed evaluation of the management of ports of entry. Over one million people and $1.3 billion dollars worth of trade cross the nearly 2,000 mile US-Mexico border each day. The bill would allow for additional customs staff, infrastructure, and technology at ports where lengthy wait times are negatively impacting the local and national economy.
We remain optimistic that Congress can pass a comprehensive immigration reform package this year that bolsters national security, decreases the national deficit, boosts GDP, and brings millions of people out of the shadows. This “Border Enforcement Accountability, Oversight, and Community Engagement Act of 2014” is an important step toward that goal and will help build trust on all sides around border enforcement. We urge both parties of Congress to lend their full support."
A summary of the bill is available here, courtesy of the Border Network for Human Rights.
The full text of H.R. 4303 is available here.
For more information, see the following from NDN/NPI:
