S.Amdt. 6254

This amendment, submitted by Ms. Hassan, seeks to add a new section to bill S. 4784 called the Cross Border Aerial Law Enforcement Operations Act. Its purpose is to allow the Secretary of Homeland Security to start 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 aims to add the following to the bill:

• Program Details: It allows the program to be staffed by approved officers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the United States Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations, other designated Federal law enforcement agencies, and Canadian law enforcement agencies.

• Jurisdiction: Operations are generally limited to within 50 miles of either side of the U.S.-Canada border, unless an aircraft needs to travel to/from a base outside that area or there are exigent circumstances like an emergency.

• Protections and Training: The program must guarantee the civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy of individuals within U.S. jurisdiction according to Federal law. Officers from both countries must complete training on these protections.

• Accountability: The Secretary of Homeland Security must provide copies of the bilateral agreement and a description of the program's scope to specific congressional committees. If the program is not started within 2 years, the Secretary must report why it failed and if it is still needed.

• UAS Reporting: The Secretary must submit a report within 1 year regarding the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) along the northern border, covering interagency coordination, jurisdictional issues, use by malign actors, and risks to privacy and civil liberties.

• Funding: No additional funds are authorized for this section.