Homeland Security Appropriation FY 2024

House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, April 21, 2023

This testimony suggests two programs. The first is to test and then deploy an active denial system in that part of the Rio Grande Valley where fencing is not possible or environmentally appropriate, which should be funded up to $500,000,000. The second is to do a feasibility study of having local boards of elections process immigration reform paperwork, both to fully close the current backlog and establish a way forward, funded at $3,000,000 (essentially ten contracted manyears).

.In 2007, Raytheon was tasked with developing non-lethal active denial technology. Raytheon Company delivered its non-lethal Active Denial System 2 to the U.S. Air Force Aug. 31. Raytheon's Active Denial System was designed to use millimeter wave technology to repel individuals without causing injury. The original contract has long since expired because ground commanders in Afghanistan did not wish to use non-lethal systems. Raytheon has a current One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS) contract vehicle Pool 3 Engineering for Military and Aerospace Equipment and Military Weapons, and Engineering for Naval Architecture (GS00Q14OADU328) Contact Ray Moehler, 571-250-1090. 

Much of the Rio Grande Valley has no place to build an immigration fence and thus control the border. When the river is raging, this causes loss of life when people attempt to cross (as does crossing into dessert in other places). The amount proposed would include design and environmental impact activities, however, because the technology is not new, a great portion of the river could be covered with a heat barrier on the far shore of the river so no crossing can be attempted.

With border denial should come reform to regularize people who are already here. The proposed feasibility study would determine whether county boards of elections could be used to clear the backlog of paperwork within CIS for those in the system legally as well as processing those who are undocumented. 

The study team would examine the capabilities of boards of election in every county to process immigration paperwork and make initial determinations on residency, design this process and redesign the current processes in the Departments of Homeland Security and Labor. This is in advance of enacting  any reform legislation. The proposed reform is as follows:

Allow undocumented migrants to apply for the status that fits their circumstances (up to and including permanent residency) without having to meet current lawful status requirements. Once this status is achieved, allow application for naturalization to proceed in the normal course. 

For example, so-called Dreamers would not be given permanent status. Rather, they would be issued student visas. College graduates would be issued H-1B visas. Adult residents who have been here for three years would be issued green cards.

Costs to Boards of Elections to process applications as part of an integrated system would be determined, but the price should be held to $500 per case. This price point is to incentivize applying for regular status.