American families who live in high-risk areas for illegal immigration near the U.S.-Mexico border would be able to strengthen their own physical security under a grant program that would be authorized under legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-OK).
The Securing American Families from Exploitation at the Border Act, or the SAFE Border Act, H.R. 761, which Rep. Bice sponsored on Feb. 2 with four GOP original cosponsors, including U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX), would direct the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a grant program to reimburse individuals for loss or damage to property near the southern border of the United States caused by an individual illegally crossing the border, according to the text of the bill.
“I visited the southern border twice and saw with my own eyes the devastating impacts of the border crisis on American families and businesses,” Rep. Bice said. “Since President Biden won’t take action, House Republicans will. My legislation serves as a step toward providing safety for overwhelmed and vulnerable communities. We must find solutions to the Biden border crisis.”
Specifically, H.R. 761 would transfer $75 million of unobligated border construction funds to FEMA to establish the Southern Border Landowner Security Grant Program, which would compensate landowners living near the U.S.-Mexico border who have experienced property damage, theft, or other losses from individuals illegally crossing the border, according to a summary provided by Rep. Bice’s office.
Under H.R. 761, there would be two types of applicants who would be required to submit specific documentation for all claims, and the Homeland Security Inspector General would be required to review applications for waste, fraud, and abuse on an annual basis, the summary says.
The Oklahoma Farm Bureau and the National Border Patrol Council endorsed the measure, which Rep. Bice first introduced during the 117th Congress.