PATROL Act

House Bill

H.R. 992

119th Congress

PATROL Act

In Committee

Introduced:Feb 5, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Michael Cloud

Representative

Republican

TX-27

Cosponsors

19

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Immigration

Summary

The PATROL Act prohibits the Department of Justice from suing states for building border security structures in navigable waters without federal approval. This would prevent federal enforcement actions against state-built barriers, dams, or other structures in rivers along the U.S. border, effectively allowing states to construct border infrastructure in waterways.

Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

SponsorMichael Cloud (R-TX)

Introduced2/5/2025

StatusReferred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

ChamberHouse

Data from Congress.gov

See this page through your district lens

Enter ZIP to personalize representatives and vote context.

Stay on top of this issue

Subscribe for weekly bill and representative updates.

Vote Prediction

PATROL Act

The PATROL Act prohibits the Department of Justice from suing states for building border security structures in navigable waters without federal approval. This would prevent federal enforcement actions against state-built barriers, dams, or other structures in

Community Breakdown

Pass

0%

Fail

0%

0 predictions

The PATROL Act prohibits the Department of Justice from suing states for building border security structures in navigable waters without federal approval. This would prevent federal enforcement actions against state-built barriers, dams, or other structures in rivers along the U.S. border, effectively allowing states to construct border infrastructure in waterways.

Bill Number: 992
Sponsor: Michael Cloud (R-TX)
Introduced: 2/5/2025
Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Policy Area: Immigration

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: PATROL Act
Bill Number: 992
Sponsor: Michael Cloud (R-TX)
Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Introduced: 2/5/2025
Summary: The PATROL Act prohibits the Department of Justice from suing states for building border security structures in navigable waters without federal approval. This would prevent federal enforcement actions against state-built barriers, dams, or other structures in rivers along the U.S. border, effective

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

The PATROL Act prohibits the Department of Justice from suing states for building border security structures in navigable waters without federal approval. This would prevent federal enforcement actions against state-built barriers, dams, or other structures in rivers along the U.S. border, effectively allowing states to construct border infrastructure in waterways.

Last updated: 12/30/2025

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

Preventing Aliens Through Rivers or Land Act or the PATROL ActThis bill prohibits the Department of Justice (DOJ) from bringing certain civil actions against a state for building a physical structure impacting navigable waters along the U.S. border for security purposes. Specifically, the DOJ is prohibited from bringing an action for (1) the construction of a bridge, causeway, dam, dike, or other structure over or in a port, harbor, or other navigable water of the United States without federal approval; or (2) the creation of any obstruction to the navigable capacity of waters of the United States without federal approval.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Prohibits DOJ suits against states for border structures
Allows state-built barriers in navigable border waters
Removes federal approval requirement for states
Applies to bridges, dams, dikes and other structures
Addresses border security in river areas
Expands state authority over border waterways

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This bill would remove federal oversight of state construction in navigable waters along the border, allowing states like Texas to build barriers in the Rio Grande without federal approval. Currently, structures in navigable waters require federal permits and can be challenged by DOJ. The bill represents an expansion of state power over border security and waterway management, potentially conflicting with international water treaties and environmental protections.