HR2281: Border Enforcement Security Task Force Reauthorization Act of 2017

This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), before establishing a Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) unit, to apply risk-based criteria that takes into consideration specified factors, including:

• whether the area in which the unit would be established is significantly impacted by threats posed by transnational criminal organizations;
• the extent to which the unit would advance DHS’s homeland and border security strategic priorities and related objectives; and
• whether departmental Joint Task Force operations would be enhanced, improved, or otherwise assisted by the unit.

The bill requires DHS to submit an annual report on the BEST program for the next five years, and such report must include:

• a description of the effectiveness of BEST in disrupting and dismantling transnational criminal organizations;
• an assessment of how BEST enhances information-sharing, including the dissemination of homeland security information, among federal, state, local, tribal, and foreign law enforcement agencies;
• a description of how BEST advances DHS’s homeland and border security strategic priorities and effectiveness of BEST in achieving related objectives; and
• an assessment of BEST’s joint operational efforts with departmental Joint Task Force operations.