This bill reauthorizes Operation Stonegarden through FY2028, funding it with seized unreported monetary instruments from border crossings. DHS must report on hiring practices from 2018-2024 and assess whether criminal gangs and Mexican cartels meet foreign terrorist organization criteria. DHS must also provide periodic reports on technology needs to secure the U.S.-Mexico land border.
Latest Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
This bill reauthorizes Operation Stonegarden through FY2028, funding it with seized unreported monetary instruments from border crossings. DHS must report on hiring practices from 2018-2024 and assess whether criminal gangs and Mexican cartels meet foreign terrorist organization criteria. DHS must also provide periodic reports on technology needs to secure the U.S.-Mexico land border.
Last updated: 1/4/2026
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>Security First Act</strong></p><p>This bill reauthorizes the Operation Stonegarden program from FY2025 through FY2028 and addresses other border security issues. (Operation Stonegarden provides grants to enhance the border security capabilities of state, local, and tribal governments.)</p><p>From FY2025 through FY2028, the money from unreported monetary instruments seized from individuals crossing the U.S.-Mexico border and transferred into the Department of the Treasury general fund shall be made available without further appropriation to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to fund Operation Stonegarden.</p><p>DHS must report to Congress on (1) DHS hiring practices from 2018 to 2024, and (2) whether certain criminal gangs and Mexican drug cartels meet the criteria to be designated as foreign terrorist organizations. DHS must also periodically report to Congress about the technology needed to secure the U.S.-Mexico land border.</p>
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Reauthorizes Operation Stonegarden through FY2028
Funds program with seized border crossing currency
Requires DHS hiring practices report 2018-2024
Mandates cartel terrorist organization assessment
Periodic reporting on border security technology needs
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
Operation Stonegarden provides grants enhancing state, local, and tribal border security capabilities. Using seized funds to finance the program creates a self-sustaining enforcement mechanism. The cartel terrorist designation assessment could lead to significant escalation of counter-drug operations if cartels are so designated. The technology reporting ensures ongoing evaluation of border security tools.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Immigration
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
506, 119th Congress (2025). "HARM Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-506
