TITLE I:BORDER SECURITY

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§ 1104 : ENHANCEMENT OF EXISTING BORDER SECURITY OPERATIONS


a.

BORDER CROSSING PROSECUTIONS.—

1.

IN GENERAL.—From the amounts made available pursuant to the appropriations in paragraph (3), funds shall be made available—

A.

to increase the number of border crossing prosecutions in the Tucson Sector of the Southwest border region to up to 210 prosecutions per day through increasing funding available for—

i.

attorneys and administrative support staff in the Office of the United States Attorney for Tucson;

ii.

support staff and interpreters in the Office of the Clerk of the Court for Tucson;

iii.

pre-trial services;

iv.

activities of the Federal Public Defender Office for Tucson; and

v.

additional personnel, including Deputy United States Marshals in the United States Marshals Office for Tucson to perform intake, coordination, transportation, and court security; and

B.

reimburse Federal State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies for any detention costs related to the border crossing prosecutions carried out pursuant to subparagraph (A).

2.

ADDITIONAL MAGISTRATE JUDGES TO ASSIST WITH INCREASED CASELOAD.—The chief judge of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona is authorized to appoint additional full-time magistrate judges, who, consistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States, shall have the authority to hear cases and controversies in the judicial district in which the respective judges are appointed.

3.

FUNDING.—There are authorized to be appropriated, from the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Trust Fund established under section 6(a)(1), such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection.

b.

OPERATION STONEGARDEN.—

1.

IN GENERAL.—The Federal Emergency Management Agency shall enhance law enforcement preparedness and operational readiness along the borders of the United States through Operation Stonegarden. Grants under this subsection shall be allocated based on a sector-specific border risk methodology, based on factors including threat, vulnerability, miles of border and other border specific information. The amounts available under this paragraph are in addition to any other amounts otherwise made available for Operation Stonegarden. [Feinstein7] Allocations for grants and reimbursements to law enforcement agencies under this paragraph shall be made by the Federal Emergency Management Agency through a competitive process.

2.

FUNDING.—There are authorized to be appropriated, from the amounts made available under section 6(a)(3)(A)(i), such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection.

c.

INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.—

1.

BORDER PATROL STATIONS.—The Secretary shall—

A.

construct additional Border Patrol stations in the Southwest border region that U.S. Border Patrol determines are needed to provide full operational support in rural, high-trafficked areas; and

B.

analyze the feasibility of creating additional Border Patrol sectors along the Southern border to interrupt drug trafficking operations.

2.

FORWARD OPERATING BASES.—The Secretary shall enhance the security of the Southwest border region by—

A.

establishing additional permanent forward operating bases for the U.S. Border Patrol, as needed;

B.

upgrading the existing forward operating bases to include modular buildings, electricity, and potable water; and

C.

ensuring that forward operating bases surveil and interdict individuals entering the United States unlawfully immediately after such individuals cross the Southern border.

3.

[Feinstein10] SAFE AND SECURE BORDER INFRASTRUCTURE.—The Secretary and the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the governors of the States in the Southwest border region and the Northern border region, shall establish a grant program, which shall be administered by the Secretary of Transportation and the General Services Administration , to construct transportation and supporting infrastructure improvements at existing and new international border crossings necessary to facilitate safe, secure, and efficient cross border movement of people, motor vehicles, and cargo.

4.

AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— There is authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018 such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection.

[Feinstein2]
d.

ADDITIONAL PERMANENT DISTRICT COURT JUDGESHIPS IN SOUTHWEST BORDER STATES.—

1.

IN GENERAL.—The President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate—

A.

2 additional district judges for the district of Arizona;

B.

3 additional district judges for the eastern district of California;

C.

2 additional district judges for the western district of Texas; and

D.

1 additional district judge for the southern district of Texas.

2.

CONVERSIONS OF TEMPORARY DISTRICT COURT JUDGESHIPS.—The existing judgeships for the district of Arizona and the central district of California authorized by section 312(c) of the 21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act (28 U.S.C. 133 note; Public Law 107-273; 116 Stat. 1788), as of the effective date of this Act, shall be authorized under section 133 of title 28, United States Code, and the incumbents in those offices shall hold the office under section 133 of title 28, United States Code, as amended by this Act.

3.

TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—The table contained in section 133(a) of title 28, United States Code, is amended—

A.

by striking the item relating to the district of Arizona and inserting the following:

Arizona ........................................................... 15;

B.

by striking the item relating to California and inserting the following:

California:

Northern ................................................................. 14

Eastern .................................................................. 9

Central ...................................................................28

Southern ................................................................. 13

; and

C.

by striking the item relating to Texas and inserting the following:

Texas:

Northern ................................................................. 12

Southern ................................................................. 20

Eastern ................................................................... 7

Western .................................................................. 15

4.

INCREASE IN FILING FEES.—

A.

IN GENERAL.—Section 1914(a) of title 28, United States Code, is amended by striking $350 and inserting $360.

B.

(B) EXPENDITURE LIMITATION.—Incremental amounts collected by reason of the enactment of this paragraph shall be deposited as offsetting receipts in the Judiciary Filing Fee special fund of the Treasury established under section 1931 of title 28, United States Code. Such amounts shall be available solely for the purpose of facilitating the processing of civil cases, but only to the extent specifically appropriated by an Act of Congress enacted after the date of the enactment of this Act.

[end] [Grassley 2nd]
5.

WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION.—

A.

IN GENERAL.— No officer, employee, agent, contractor, or subcontractor of the judicial branch may discharge, demote, threaten, suspend, harass, or in any other manner discriminate against an employee in the terms and conditions of employment because of any lawful act done by the employee to provide information, cause information to be provided, or otherwise assist in an investigation regarding any possible violation of Federal law or regulation, or misconduct, by a judge, justice, or any other employee in the judicial branch, which may assist in the investigation of the possible violation or misconduct.

B.

CIVIL ACTION.— An employee injured by a violation of subparagraph (A) may, in a civil action, obtain appropriate relief.

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