Rep. Levin Introduces the Extending Limits of U.S. Customs Waters Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. Mike Levin (D-CA), María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Carlos A. Giménez (R-FL), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) introduced the Extending Limits of U.S. Customs Waters Act (H.R. 1268). The legislation improves the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol’s (CBP) ability to keep Americans safe by expanding its jurisdiction from 12 to 24 nautical miles offshore. Senators Rick Scott (R-FL) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) are leading the Senate version.
With CBP receiving a new mandate to go after criminals in the Trump Administration, cartels and gangs like Tren de Aragua are facing justice and are in retreat. By expanding CBP’s jurisdiction to protect our waters, they will be able to protect more Americans’ lives by stopping the spread of violence and crime well before it reaches our shores.
“Since joining Congress, I’ve called for greater security at our nation’s borders. In addition to the land borders, we need to give CBP the necessary tools to more quickly and effectively respond to emerging threats at our maritime borders, such as smuggling and trafficking vessels,” said Rep. Levin. “This bipartisan bill gives CBP additional jurisdiction to accomplish its maritime duties, including stopping the flow of drugs and human trafficking along our coasts. I applaud Rep. Salazar for leading this bill, and I look forward to helping push it through the legislative process and get it signed into law.”
The Extending Limits of U.S. Customs Waters Act updates several existing laws and codifies the 1999 Presidential Proclamation 7219—The Contiguous Zone of the United States, which formally established the United States’ contiguous zone from the 12 nautical mile limit of the U.S. Customs Waters to 24 nautical miles. Despite Proclamation 7219, CBP’s law enforcement operations remain limited to exercising their authorities to the 12 nautical mile limit.
Doubling the area of operation into near shore waters allows CBP’s Air and Marine Operations (AMO), the U.S. Coast Guard, and other federal authorities to properly enforce U.S. customs, immigration, and sanitary laws at sea. Specifically, it will increase detection, interdiction, and ultimately prosecution of those who are attempting to bring illegal cargoes (narcotics, bulk cash, guns and human trafficking victims) into the nation.
Modern technology has improved the performance and speed of maritime vessels, particularly those that are used to violate U.S. law or evade law enforcement, and limiting AMO operations to the current 12 nautical mile boundary puts responding law enforcement vessels at a significant disadvantage, preventing the interdiction and capture of these vessels.
Reps. Clay Higgins (R-LA), Monica de la Cruz (R-TX), Daniel Webster (R-FL), Aaron Bean (R-FL), Randy Weber (R-TX), Mike Ezell (R-MS), James Moylan (R-GU), Warren Davidson (R-OH), Donald Davis (D-NC), Brian Mast (R-FL), Scott Franklin (R-FL), Rick Allen (R-GA), Byron Donalds (R-FL), Michael Guest (R-MS), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), John Rutherford (R-FL), Laurel Lee (R-FL), James Baird (R-IN), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Mike Haridopolos (R-FL), and Chris Smith (R-NJ) also joined the legislation.
Read an exclusive about the Extending Limits of U.S. Customs Waters Act in the Washington Examiner here.
“Vicious gangs in our hemisphere are using Miami’s strategic location to operate in Florida’s coastal waters,” said Rep. Salazar. “I am honored to continue National Security Advisor Mike Waltz’s work in the House of Representatives by reintroducing our bill to expand the Department of Homeland Security’s maritime jurisdiction to keep us safe from drugs and crime.”
“We must ensure our law enforcement and first responders have the capability to guarantee our safety, especially as human traffickers and violent criminals attempt to encroach on South Florida through our waterways,” said Rep. Giménez. “As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Maritime Security, I am proud to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation with my dear friend Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar to protect our community & better defend our Florida coastline.”
“With the large amounts of drug smuggling and human trafficking at our Southern border and along our coasts, we must take stronger action to safeguard our communities,” said Rep. Panetta. “By expanding Customs and Border Protection's jurisdiction to 24 miles offshore, the Extending Limits of U.S. Customs Waters Act strengthens our ability to target criminals before they can reach our shores. This is a critical step towards stopping smugglers, securing our borders, and protecting our communities.”
“Members of our U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations are working day-in and day-out to keep our nation’s shores, beaches and maritime territory safe, conducting critical missions and intercepting dangerous drugs and human traffickers before they reach shore,” said Senator Scott.“These agents have faced unprecedented challenges amid President Joe Biden’s open-border crisis, but their work has made a huge difference in stopping drugs and dangerous human traffickers from reaching our communities. Along with President Trump’s actions to secure the border, this bill will help keep our nation safe and stop the flow of illegal drugs coming into our country by permanently expanding the jurisdiction and authority of our Coast Guard, CBP, and others in our maritime territory. I urge my colleagues to support this important, bipartisan bill.”
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers keep our country safe every day by stopping drug and human traffickers trying to come into our country by land, sea, and air,” said Senator Hassan. “This bipartisan legislation will give Customs and Border Protection officers more authority to stop criminals who are trying to come to our shores and harm our communities, and I will keep working to give law enforcement the tools that they need to protect our communities.”
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