By Matthew Holloway |
The Subterranean Border Defense Act spearheaded by Congressmen Eli Crane (R-AZ) and Lou Correa (D-CA) was passed in the House of Representatives. It now moves to the Senate where, if passed and signed into law, it would require the federal government to strengthen our border defenses through a layered system and produce annual reports to Congress on operations to counteract cross-border tunneling.
A statement released by Crane’s office warned, “As Transnational Criminal Organizations continue to grow in both size and sophistication, illicit cross-border tunnels along the southwest border of the United States represent a significant and growing threat to national security.”
“The Subterranean Border Defense Act would help Congress address the growing threat of illicit cross-border tunnels by requiring the submission of annual reports on counter tunneling operations, fortifying our security system at the border.”
According to Crane, since 1990 border officials have uncovered over 140 subterranean tunnels traversing and undermining the U.S. Southern border with Mexico with the smuggling activity through this method increasing by 80 percent since 2008 and the Obama Administration.
Rep. Crane explained, “Passage of this bill is a massive win for our security. The Biden-Harris Administration has eagerly dismantled our border, leaving Americans inexcusably vulnerable. This legislation would help counter that by making sure Congress has the info we need to address the deadly threat of cross-border tunnels. I’m grateful to Chairman Green for his support of my bill and for his distinguished leadership of the Homeland Security Committee.”
As reported by Border Report in July, a vacant lot used by food trucks in Tijuana was recently under heavy surveillance by Mexico’s National Guard and other law enforcement agencies after investigators said unidentified individuals were spotted digging several suspected drug tunnels on the property. One of the shafts reportedly connected to an existing tunnel that led under the border into the U.S. The northern terminus of the tunnel is not publicly known, but it reportedly leads to an area near the commercial side of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
As recently as February, an official release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement revealed that a tunnels system was located and shut down in Nogales, Arizona, which straddles the border with the Mexican city of Heroica Nogales, Sonora.
The report stated, “Department of Homeland Security agents and their counterparts from the Mexican Federal Police (SSP) entered both ends of the tunnel simultaneously early Thursday morning. No people were found, but SSP officers seized 550 pounds of bundled marijuana discovered inside.”
The tunnel was believed to be just a week old before being shut down by U.S. and Mexican authorities and was approximately 110 feet long. It averaged two feet wide and two feet tall with limited wooden braces and ran approximately 5 feet under the surface. In the report, ICE stated that federal authorities have shut down 22 completed cross-border tunnels in the Nogales area alone over the last three years.
In a statement from the House Committee on Homeland Security, Chairman Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) said, “The House of Representatives also passed two more Committee bills to combat Communist China’s deadly fentanyl supply chain across our Southwest border, which Beijing accomplishes with the help of criminal cartels. I’m proud of Congressmen LaLota and Crane’s leadership introducing bills to improve fentanyl interdiction and DHS’ mission to counter the insidious tunnels cartels often use to smuggle this poisonous drug––both commonsense pieces of legislation to close DHS capability gaps and help save lives amid this historic border crisis. I urge the Senate to take up and pass these measures without delay to combat the influence of our greatest geopolitical adversary.”
In a post to X sharing his comments on the Cross-Border Tunnel Report, Crane wrote, “My bipartisan bill would help Congress address the growing threat of illicit cross-border tunnels by requiring the submission of annual reports on counter tunneling operations, fortifying our security system at the border. Put simply, this legislation would help ensure that Congress has the necessary data to forge another much-needed layer of defense.”
The bill, H.R. 7404, was cosponsored by a dozen Republicans including Arizona Reps. Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar, Texas Congressmen Morgan Lutrell, Michael McCaul, and August Pfluger, as well as Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana. In addition to Correa, the bill was cosponsored by Democrat Rep. Shri Thanedar of Michigan.
Matthew Holloway is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
