S.Amdt. 2926

This amendment, known as the Cross Border Aerial Law Enforcement Operations Act, aims to add a new section to bill S. 2296. Its purpose is to allow the Secretary of Homeland Security to create an integrated aerial law enforcement program along the international border between the United States and Canada, provided there is a bilateral agreement between the two governments.

The amendment seeks to add the following elements to the bill:

• Program Structure: The program would be modeled after the 2009 Framework Agreement on Integrated Cross-Border Maritime Law Enforcement Operations. It may include participants from the United States Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, other designated Federal law enforcement agencies, and Canadian law enforcement agencies.

• Jurisdiction and Scope: Operations are generally limited to within 50 miles of either side of the border, with exceptions for aircraft returning to bases outside that area or exigent circumstances like emergencies.

• Protections and Training: The program must guarantee the civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy of individuals within the United States. Both U.S. and Canadian officers must complete training on these protections before participating.

• Accountability: The Secretary of Homeland Security must submit the bilateral agreement and a description of the program's scope to specific congressional committees. If the program is not established within 2 years, a report explaining the failure and offering recommendations must be submitted.

• UAS Reporting: The Secretary must provide a report within 1 year regarding the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) along the northern border, covering issues like interagency coordination, use by malign actors, and feasibility of joint operations.

• Funding: The amendment explicitly states that no additional funds are authorized for these activities.