HR 506119th CongressIn Committee

Security First Act

Introduced: Jan 16, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Security First Act would (1) require the Secretary of State to assess whether certain Mexican drug cartels and the Tren de Aragua gang meet the criteria for designation as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs); (2) authorize specific funding for Operation Stonegarden (a DHS grant program supporting state, local, and tribal law enforcement at the border) for fiscal years 2025–2028 and create a dedicated trust fund that uses specified illicit-instrument seizure proceeds to support Stonegarden; (3) mandate a comprehensive technology needs analysis and periodic updates for Southwest border security technology, with an emphasis on privacy protections and interagency coordination; and (4) require a DHS hiring practices report covering 2018–2024 to improve workforce capacity. The act is framed as a homeland security package intended to bolster border security, enhance technology and equipment, and ensure oversight through reporting and assessments. In short, it directs new investigations into potential FTO designations, expands and finances border-security funding and technology, and strengthens DHS planning and accountability around hiring and border technology needs.

Key Points

1Operation Stonegarden funding and trust fund
2- Annual appropriations for 2025–2028: $110,000,000 for the Stonegarden grant program and not less than $36,666,666 per year for technology/equipment (communications, sensors, drones).
3- Creation of the Operation Stonegarden Trust Fund in the Treasury, funded in part by transfers from the general fund equal to the amount of unreported monetary instruments seized by CBP from border-crossing individuals.
4- The Trust Fund funds Stonegarden without additional appropriations and is limited to that purpose.
5- Monetary instruments defined broadly (currency, traveler's checks, negotiable instruments, bearer stock, etc.) with specific carve-outs.
6Foreign Terrorist Organization designations
7- Requires a report to Congress within 60 days on whether listed Mexican cartels and the Tren De Aragua meet the criteria for FTO designation.
8- Cartels named: Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Sinaloa Cartel, Juarez Cartel, Tijuana Cartel, Gulf Cartel, Los Zetas.
9- Criminal gang named: Tren De Aragua.
10- Uses the INA 219 definition of FTO; Secretary of State is the “Secretary” in this section; specified congressional committees are identified for this reporting.
11Southwest border technology needs analysis and updates
12- A technology needs analysis due within 1 year of enactment, with biannual updates for the next 4 years.
13- Analysis to cover: gaps and needs to prevent terrorism, combat cross-border crime (drugs, human trafficking), and support lawful trade; review of technologies across manned aircraft sensors, UAS (drones), surveillance, nonintrusive inspection, tunnel detection, and communications (radios, broadband, satellites); IT, biometrics, cloud storage, and data sharing; privacy considerations; interagency cooperation; and search-and-rescue capabilities.
14- Updates must include plans to deploy or develop technologies to close gaps and improve operational control and situational awareness along the Southwest border.
15- Emphasis on unclassified reporting when possible, with the option for classified sections if necessary.
16Hiring practices reporting
17- A DHS report within 120 days detailing DHS hiring practices from 2018–2024.
18- Includes recruitment practices and recommendations to improve DHS workforce operational capacity.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- U.S. Department of Homeland Security (especially U.S. Customs and Border Protection, DHS Science and Technology Directorate, and other DHS components), state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners along the Southwest border, and border communities that benefit from increased security resources and technology.Secondary group/area affected- Mexican cartels and the Tren De Aragua gang (potentially affected by FTO designation efforts and related policy actions).- Federal, state, and local agencies involved in border operations and interagency information sharing.Additional impacts- Budget and funding dynamics: The act creates a new funding stream (including a trust fund) that could affect how border security programs are financed and prioritized.- Privacy and civil liberties considerations: The technology analysis explicitly requires reviewing privacy implications and mitigation strategies, signaling attention to privacy concerns in deploying new border technologies.- Policy and oversight: Requires new reporting and assessments by Congress, increasing DHS transparency and potential policy shifts based on FTO designations and technology recommendations.- Operational readiness: By focusing on hiring practices and technology modernization, the bill aims to improve DHS capacity to manage border security challenges, potentially affecting resource allocation, training, and interagency cooperation.Operation Stonegarden: A DHS-funded grant program that supports state, local, and tribal law enforcement in border security operations, often in coordination with federal agencies.Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO): A designation under U.S. law (INA 219) that allows for legal sanctions and sanctions-related tools against designated entities.Southwest border technology needs analysis: A DHS planning exercise to identify current and emerging technologies needed to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, with attention to privacy, interagency sharing, and mission effectiveness.

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