Last Updated on May 10, 2020 by LawEuro
From Title 6—DOMESTIC SECURITY
CHAPTER 1—HOMELAND SECURITY ORGANIZATION
SUBCHAPTER IV—BORDER, MARITIME, AND TRANSPORTATION SECURITY
Part D—Immigration Enforcement Functions
§251. Transfer of functions
In accordance with subchapter XII (relating to transition provisions), there shall be transferred from the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization to the Secretary all functions performed under the following programs, and all personnel, assets, and liabilities pertaining to such programs, immediately before such transfer occurs:
(1) The Border Patrol program.
(2) The detention and removal program.
(3) The intelligence program.
(4) The investigations program.
(5) The inspections program.
(Pub. L. 107–296, title IV, §441, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2192; Pub. L. 114–125, title VIII, §802(g)(1)(B)(v)(I), Feb. 24, 2016, 130 Stat. 212.)
Amendments
2016—Pub. L. 114–125 substituted “Transfer of functions” for “Transfer of functions to Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security” in section catchline and “Secretary” for “Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security” in introductory provisions.
§252. Establishment of Bureau of Border Security
(a) Establishment of Bureau
(1) In general
There shall be in the Department of Homeland Security a bureau to be known as the “Bureau of Border Security”.
(2) Assistant Secretary
The head of the Bureau of Border Security shall be the Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Border Security, who—
(A) shall report directly to the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security; and
(B) shall have a minimum of 5 years professional experience in law enforcement, and a minimum of 5 years of management experience.
(3) Functions
The Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Border Security—
(A) shall establish the policies for performing such functions as are—
(i) transferred to the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security by section 251 of this title and delegated to the Assistant Secretary by the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security; or
(ii) otherwise vested in the Assistant Secretary by law;
(B) shall oversee the administration of such policies; and
(C) shall advise the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security with respect to any policy or operation of the Bureau of Border Security that may affect the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services established under part E of this subchapter, including potentially conflicting policies or operations.
(4) Program to collect information relating to foreign students
The Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Border Security shall be responsible for administering the program to collect information relating to nonimmigrant foreign students and other exchange program participants described in section 1372 of title 8, including the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System established under that section, and shall use such information to carry out the enforcement functions of the Bureau.
(5) Managerial rotation program
(A) In general
Not later than 1 year after the date on which the transfer of functions specified under section 251 of this title takes effect, the Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Border Security shall design and implement a managerial rotation program under which employees of such bureau holding positions involving supervisory or managerial responsibility and classified, in accordance with chapter 51 of title 5, as a GS–14 or above, shall—
(i) gain some experience in all the major functions performed by such bureau; and
(ii) work in at least one local office of such bureau.
(B) Report
Not later than 2 years after the date on which the transfer of functions specified under section 251 of this title takes effect, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress on the implementation of such program.
(b) Chief of Policy and Strategy
(1) In general
There shall be a position of Chief of Policy and Strategy for the Bureau of Border Security.
(2) Functions
In consultation with Bureau of Border Security personnel in local offices, the Chief of Policy and Strategy shall be responsible for—
(A) making policy recommendations and performing policy research and analysis on immigration enforcement issues; and
(B) coordinating immigration policy issues with the Chief of Policy and Strategy for the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (established under part E of this subchapter), as appropriate.
(c) Legal advisor
There shall be a principal legal advisor to the Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Border Security. The legal advisor shall provide specialized legal advice to the Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Border Security and shall represent the bureau in all exclusion, deportation, and removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review.
(Pub. L. 107–296, title IV, §442, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2193.)
References in Text
Part E of this subchapter, referred to in subsecs. (a)(3)(C) and (b)(2)(B), was in the original “subtitle E”, meaning subtitle E (§§451–462) of title IV of Pub. L. 107–296, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2195, which enacted part E (§271 et seq.) of this subchapter, amended sections 1356 and 1573 of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality, and enacted provisions set out as a note under section 271 of this title. For complete classification of subtitle E to the Code, see Tables.
Change of Name
Bureau of Border Security, referred to in section catchline and text, changed to Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement by Reorganization Plan Modification for the Department of Homeland Security, eff. Mar. 1, 2003, H. Doc. No. 108–32, 108th Congress, 1st Session, set out as a note under section 542 of this title.
§253. Professional responsibility and quality review
The Secretary shall be responsible for—
(1) conducting investigations of noncriminal allegations of misconduct, corruption, and fraud involving any employee of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that are not subject to investigation by the Inspector General for the Department;
(2) inspecting the operations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and providing assessments of the quality of the operations of such bureau as a whole and each of its components; and
(3) providing an analysis of the management of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
(Pub. L. 107–296, title IV, §443, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2194; Pub. L. 114–125, title VIII, §802(g)(1)(B)(v)(II), Feb. 24, 2016, 130 Stat. 212.)
Amendments
2016—Pub. L. 114–125 substituted “Secretary” for “Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security” in introductory provisions and “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement” for “the Bureau of Border Security” in pars. (1) to (3).
§254. Employee discipline
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may impose disciplinary action on any employee of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection who willfully deceives Congress or agency leadership on any matter.
(Pub. L. 107–296, title IV, §444, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2194; Pub. L. 114–125, title VIII, §802(g)(1)(B)(v)(III), Feb. 24, 2016, 130 Stat. 212.)
Amendments
2016—Pub. L. 114–125 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security may, notwithstanding any other provision of law, impose disciplinary action, including termination of employment, pursuant to policies and procedures applicable to employees of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, on any employee of the Bureau of Border Security who willfully deceives the Congress or agency leadership on any matter.”
§255. Report on improving enforcement functions
(a) In general
The Secretary, not later than 1 year after being sworn into office, shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations and the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and of the Senate a report with a plan detailing how the Bureau of Border Security, after the transfer of functions specified under section 251 of this title takes effect, will enforce comprehensively, effectively, and fairly all the enforcement provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) relating to such functions.
(b) Consultation
In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall consult with the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Labor, the Commissioner of Social Security, the Director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review, and the heads of State and local law enforcement agencies to determine how to most effectively conduct enforcement operations.
(Pub. L. 107–296, title IV, §445, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2194.)
References in Text
The Immigration and Nationality Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is act June 27, 1952, ch. 477, 66 Stat. 163, as amended, which is classified principally to chapter 12 (§1101 et seq.) of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1101 of Title 8 and Tables.
Change of Name
Bureau of Border Security, referred to in subsec. (a), changed to Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement by Reorganization Plan Modification for the Department of Homeland Security, eff. Mar. 1, 2003, H. Doc. No. 108–32, 108th Congress, 1st Session, set out as a note under section 542 of this title.
§256. Sense of Congress regarding construction of fencing near San Diego, California
It is the sense of the Congress that completing the 14-mile border fence project required to be carried out under section 102(b) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1103 note) should be a priority for the Secretary.
(Pub. L. 107–296, title IV, §446, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2195.)
References in Text
Section 102(b) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, referred to in text, is section 102(b) of title I of div. C of Pub. L. 104–208, which is set out as a note under section 1103 of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality.
§257. Report
(a) In general
The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit an annual report to the congressional committees set forth in subsection (b) that includes a description of—
(1) the cross-border tunnels along the border between Mexico and the United States discovered during the preceding fiscal year; and
(2) the needs of the Department of Homeland Security to effectively prevent, investigate and prosecute border tunnel construction along the border between Mexico and the United States.
(b) Congressional committees
The congressional committees set forth in this subsection are—
(1) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
(2) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
(3) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(4) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives;
(5) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives; and
(6) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
(Pub. L. 112–127, §8, June 5, 2012, 126 Stat. 371.)
Codification
Section was enacted as part of the Border Tunnel Prevention Act of 2012, and not as part of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 which comprises this chapter.
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