A bill to require ports of entry along the northern border to remain open as many hours per day as they were open prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Impact
The consequences of SB2562, if enacted, will reshape the current administrative framework governing border operations. By requiring that ports operate at their previous capacity, the bill will influence staffing, resource allocation, and potentially, the volume of commerce and traffic crossing the border. Supporters argue that increased hours of operation will directly benefit local economies reliant on cross-border trade. However, the implementation of this bill may pose challenges for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, possibly requiring adjustments in their operational protocols to meet these requirements.
Summary
SB2562 is a bill introduced in the Senate that mandates all United States ports of entry along the northern border to operate for the same hours they were open before the COVID-19 pandemic. This legislation seeks to reinstate the pre-pandemic operational hours, aiming to enhance border efficiency and facilitate trade and travel between the United States and Canada. The bill highlights the importance of maintaining robust operations at ports of entry, vital for economic activities and border security.
Contention
Discussion around SB2562 may evoke debates concerning public health and safety. Critics could argue that mandating extended operating hours could complicate the management of resources, especially during health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. The balance between economic benefits and health considerations will be key points of contention in the legislative discussions. Additionally, there may be concerns regarding staffing challenges and the adequacy of resources to sustain the mandated operational hours without compromising security at these critical points.
A bill to require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the economic impact and health outcomes associated with the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
Secure the Border Act of 2023 This bill addresses issues regarding immigration and border security, including by imposing limits to asylum eligibility. For example, the bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to resume activities to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border; provides statutory authorization for Operation Stonegarden, which provides grants to law enforcement agencies for certain border security operations; prohibits DHS from processing the entry of non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) arriving between ports of entry; limits asylum eligibility to non-U.S. nationals who arrive in the United States at a port of entry; authorizes the removal of a non-U.S. national to a country other than that individual's country of nationality or last lawful habitual residence, whereas currently this type of removal may only be to a country that has an agreement with the United States for such removal; expands the types of crimes that may make an individual ineligible for asylum, such as a conviction for driving while intoxicated causing another person's serious bodily injury or death; authorizes DHS to suspend the introduction of certain non-U.S. nationals at an international border if DHS determines that the suspension is necessary to achieve operational control of that border; prohibits states from imposing licensing requirements on immigration detention facilities used to detain minors; authorizes immigration officers to permit an unaccompanied alien child to withdraw their application for admission into the United States even if the child is unable to make an independent decision to withdraw the application; imposes additional penalties for overstaying a visa; and requires DHS to create an electronic employment eligibility confirmation system modeled after the E-Verify system and requires all employers to use the system.
A bill to require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to establish procedures for conducting maintenance projects at ports of entry at which the Office of Field Operations conducts certain enforcement and facilitation activities.
This bill nullifies the order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention titled Amended Order Implementing Presidential Proclamation on Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic and published on April 7, 2022. (The order restricts the entry of noncitizens who are not immigrants into the United States by air travel unless they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or otherwise attest that they will take public health measures to prevent the spread of the disease.) The bill also nullifies any successor or subsequent orders that require foreign persons traveling by air to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of entry and prohibits the use of federal funds to administer or enforce such a requirement.