State Border Security Assistance Act

This bill, the State Border Security Assistance Act, would create two new federal funds to be administered by DHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ), with substantial, time-limited grants to states, state agencies (including National Guard units), and units of local government. The State Border Security Reinforcement Fund (DHS) would support border security activities such as building or upgrading barriers, preparing land near the border for such work, surveillance and information-gathering, and relocating aliens from small population centers. The State Criminal Alien Prosecution and Detention Fund (DOJ) would finance efforts to locate and apprehend unlawfully present aliens or criminals, counter gang activity, prosecute and detain related offenses, and support court operations, transportation, and related logistics. The bill appropriates $11 billion to the DHS fund and $3.5 billion to the DOJ fund for fiscal year 2025, with each fund remaining available through September 30, 2034, and both funds set to sunset on January 20, 2029 (with unobligated balances returned to the Treasury). Grants would cover completed, ongoing, or new activities that occurred since January 20, 2021. In short, it creates large, short-to-medium-term federal grants aimed at bolstering state-level border security and criminal alien enforcement efforts, with a specified end date and a mechanism to return unused funds.