US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

8 U.S.C. § 1701

Definitions

In this chapter:
(1)

Alien

section 1101(a)(3) of this titleThe term “alien” has the meaning given the term in .

(2)

Appropriate committees of Congress

The term “appropriate committees of Congress” means the following:
(A)
The Committee on the Judiciary, the Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
(B)
The Committee on the Judiciary, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives.
(3)

Chimera system

section 1722(a)(2) of this titleThe term “Chimera system” means the interoperable electronic data system required to be developed and implemented by .

(4)

Federal law enforcement agencies

The term “Federal law enforcement agencies” means the following:
(A)
The United States Secret Service.
(B)
The Drug Enforcement Administration.
(C)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation.
(D)
The Immigration and Naturalization Service.
(E)
The United States Marshall Service.
(F)
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
(G)
The Coast Guard.
(H)
The Diplomatic Security Service.
(I)
The United States Postal Inspection Service.
(J)
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Department of Justice.
(K)
The United States Customs Service.
(L)
The National Park Service.
(5)

Intelligence community

section 3003(4) of title 50The term “intelligence community” has the meaning given that term in .

(6)

President

The term “President” means the President of the United States, acting through the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization, the Attorney General, the Director of Central Intelligence, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Secretary of Transportation, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Secretary of the Treasury.

(7)

USA PATRIOT Act

Public Law 107–56The term “USA PATRIOT Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001 ().

Pub. L. 107–173, § 2116 Stat. 544Pub. L. 107–296, title XI, § 1112(c)116 Stat. 2276Pub. L. 108–293, title VI, § 619118 Stat. 1062Pub. L. 114–125, title VIII, § 802(d)(2)130 Stat. 210(, , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Pub. L. 107–173116 Stat. 543This chapter, referred to in introductory provisions, was in the original “this Act”, meaning , , , which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out below and Tables.

Pub. L. 107–56115 Stat. 272Pub. L. 107–56Pub. L. 109–177, title I, § 101(b)120 Stat. 194section 1 of Title 18The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001, referred to in par. (7), was , , . was renamed the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 or the USA PATRIOT Act by , , . For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 2001 Amendment note set out under , Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and Tables.

Amendments

Pub. L. 108–2932004—Par. (4)(G). substituted “The Coast Guard” for “The Coastal Security Service”.

Pub. L. 107–2962002—Par. (4)(J). substituted “Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Department of Justice” for “Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

section 802(d)(2) of Pub. L. 114–125section 211 of Title 6“Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection” substituted for “Commissioner of Customs” in par. (6) on authority of , set out as a note under , Domestic Security.

Committee on International Relations of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Foreign Affairs of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Tenth Congress, .

Pub. L. 108–458section 3001 of Title 50Reference to the Director of Central Intelligence or the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in the Director’s capacity as the head of the intelligence community deemed to be a reference to the Director of National Intelligence. Reference to the Director of Central Intelligence or the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in the Director’s capacity as the head of the Central Intelligence Agency deemed to be a reference to the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. See section 1081(a), (b) of , set out as a note under , War and National Defense.

Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

Pub. L. 107–296section 4 of Pub. L. 107–296section 101 of Title 6Amendment by effective 60 days after , see , set out as an Effective Date note under , Domestic Security.

Short Title

Pub. L. 107–173, § 1(a)116 Stat. 543

section 1221 of this title“This Act [enacting this chapter, amending sections 1187, 1201, 1221, 1356, 1372, and 1379 of this title, enacting provisions set out as notes under , and amending provisions set out as notes under sections 1101, 1351, and 1365a of this title] may be cited as the ‘Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002’.”
, , , provided that:

Transfer of Functions

section 542 of Title 6Pub. L. 107–296section 211 of Title 6Pub. L. 114–125section 802(b) of Pub. L. 114–125section 211 of Title 6For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury, including functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 203(1), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of , as modified, set out as a note under . For establishment of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, treated as if included in as of , see , as amended generally by , and , set out as a note under .

section 542 of Title 6For transfer of the functions, personnel, assets, and obligations of the United States Secret Service, including the functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 381, 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of , as modified, set out as a note under .

Abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service and Transfer of Functions

section 1551 of this titleFor abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service, transfer of functions, and treatment of related references, see note set out under .

Achieving Operational Control on the Border

Pub. L. 109–367, § 2120 Stat. 2638

“(a)

In General .—

Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [], the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take all actions the Secretary determines necessary and appropriate to achieve and maintain operational control over the entire international land and maritime borders of the United States, to include the following—
“(1)
systematic surveillance of the international land and maritime borders of the United States through more effective use of personnel and technology, such as unmanned aerial vehicles, ground-based sensors, satellites, radar coverage, and cameras; and
“(2)
physical infrastructure enhancements to prevent unlawful entry by aliens into the United States and facilitate access to the international land and maritime borders by United States Customs and Border Protection, such as additional checkpoints, all weather access roads, and vehicle barriers.
“(b)

Operational Control Defined .—

In this section, the term ‘operational control’ means the prevention of all unlawful entries into the United States, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics, and other contraband.
“(c)

Report .—

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the progress made toward achieving and maintaining operational control over the entire international land and maritime borders of the United States in accordance with this section.”
, , , provided that:

Border Surveillance

Pub. L. 108–458, title V, § 5201118 Stat. 3733

“(a)

In General .—

Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act [], the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the President and the appropriate committees of Congress a comprehensive plan for the systematic surveillance of the southwest border of the United States by remotely piloted aircraft.
“(b)

Contents .—

The plan submitted under subsection (a) shall include—
“(1)
recommendations for establishing command and control centers, operations sites, infrastructure, maintenance, and procurement;
“(2)
cost estimates for the implementation of the plan and ongoing operations;
“(3)
recommendations for the appropriate agent within the Department of Homeland Security to be the executive agency for remotely piloted aircraft operations;
“(4)
the number of remotely piloted aircraft required for the plan;
“(5)
the types of missions the plan would undertake, including—
“(A)
protecting the lives of people seeking illegal entry into the United States;
“(B)
interdicting illegal movement of people, weapons, and other contraband across the border;
“(C)
providing investigative support to assist in the dismantling of smuggling and criminal networks along the border;
“(D)
using remotely piloted aircraft to serve as platforms for the collection of intelligence against smugglers and criminal networks along the border; and
“(E)
further validating and testing of remotely piloted aircraft for airspace security missions;
“(6)
the equipment necessary to carry out the plan; and
“(7)
a recommendation regarding whether to expand the pilot program along the entire southwest border.
“(c)

Implementation .—

The Secretary of Homeland Security shall implement the plan submitted under subsection (a) as a pilot program as soon as sufficient funds are appropriated and available for this purpose.
“(d)

Authorization of Appropriations .—

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.”
, , , provided that: