State Border Security Assistance Act

The State Border Security Assistance Act would create two new federal funds to be administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). One fund (State Border Security Reinforcement Fund) would provide grants to eligible states, state agencies (including National Guard units), and local governments for border security activities such as building or installing barriers, preparing ground for barrier construction, surveillance and information-gathering, and relocating unlawfully present aliens from small population centers. The other fund (State Criminal Alien Prosecution and Detention Fund) would provide grants to similar recipients for locating and apprehending unlawfully present aliens, countering gang activity, prosecuting crimes involving aliens, court operations, temporary detention, transportation, and related support. The bill also permanently appropriates substantial sums in fiscal year 2025: $11 billion to the DHS fund and $3.5 billion to the DOJ fund, with funds available through 2034 to cover eligible expenses. Each fund would terminate on January 20, 2029, with any unobligated money returned to the Treasury for deficit reduction. Grants could cover completed, ongoing, or new activities that occurred on or after January 20, 2021. The act is labeled as introduced and has not yet become law.