HR 2139

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 14, 2025

Mr. Magaziner (for himself, Mr. Pfluger, Mr. Goldman of New York, and Mr. Evans of Colorado) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to prioritize strengthening of State and local law enforcement capabilities to combat transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Strengthening State and Local Efforts to Counter Transnational Repression Act”.

SEC. 2. COUNTERING TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION.

(a) In General.—Subtitle H of title VIII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 361 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

“SEC. 890E. STRENGTHENING STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS TO COUNTER TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION AND TERRORISM THREATS RELATED TO TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION.

“(a) In General.—The Secretary, in consultation with public and private sector stakeholders, shall, in a manner consistent with the protection of privacy rights, civil rights, and civil liberties, develop, through the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers and in coordination with the Assistant Secretary for State and Local Law Enforcement and the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, a training program to enhance the capabilities of State, local, Tribal, campus, and territorial law enforcement personnel, including personnel of the National Network of Fusion Centers, to counter transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression.

“(b) Requirements.—The training program developed pursuant to subsection (a) shall relate to the following:

“(1) Identifying instances of transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression.

“(2) Types of information that should be collected and recorded in information technology systems to help identify suspected perpetrators of transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression.

“(3) Types of information that should be shared routinely with the private sector, including faith-based organizations, educational institution authorities, and communities that may be targets or are victims of transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression.

“(4) Identifying suspected targets or victims of transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression.

“(5) Personal safety best practices for individuals and communities that may be targets or are victims of transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression to prevent and mitigate transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression and ensure that such targets and victims are afforded prompt information about and access to victim support resources, including such resources offered by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, to address the immediate and long-term needs of such targets and victims.

“(c) Provision of Certain Trainings.—Trainings developed pursuant to subsection (a) shall be provided by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers or another office or component of the Department if the Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers determines such other office or component is accredited by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation Model Practice Clearinghouse or pursuant to a substantially similar process.

“(d) Community Awareness Briefings.—The Assistant Secretary of Partnership and Engagement and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, in coordination with the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, as appropriate, shall engage with State, local, Tribal, campus, and territorial law enforcement personnel, including personnel of the National Network of Fusion Centers, and individuals and communities that may be targets or are victims of transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression, including by informing such individuals and communities about how to identify transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression and protect against transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression.

“(e) Definitions.—In this section:

“(1) Personal safety best practices.—The term ‘personal safety best practices’ means measures for enhancing individuals’ and communities’ physical security, situational awareness, and online security.

“(2) Transnational repression.—The term ‘transnational repression’ means an action of a foreign government or an agent of a foreign government that satisfies each of the following:

“(A) The action involves any of the following:

“(i) Any effort intended to coerce, harass, or digitally or physically threaten, including by force or reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury or imprisonment of a person or an immediate family member of a person, a person to take an action in the interest of such a foreign government.

“(ii) Any effort intended to harass or coerce, including by force or reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury or imprisonment, a person to forebear from exercising the First Amendment rights of such person or any other right guaranteed to the person by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or to retaliate against a person for having exercised such a right.

“(iii) An extrajudicial killing.

“(iv) Any act intended to further the efforts specified in clause (i), (ii), or

(iii).

“(B) The action is engaged in for or in the interests of such a foreign government.

“(C) The action—

“(i) occurs, in whole or in part, in the United States; or

“(ii) is committed against a United States person.

“(3) United states person.—The term ‘United States person’ has the meaning given such term in section 1637(d)(10) of the Carl Levin and Howard P. ‘Buck’ McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal year 2015 (50 U.S.C. 1708(d)(10)).”.

(b) Research and Development.—The Secretary of Homeland Security shall, to the extent practicable, coordinate with the Under Secretary for Science and Technology and the Assistant Secretary for State and Local Law Enforcement of the Department of Homeland Security to—

(1) carry out research and development of a technology to enhance participation rates in training offered to other State, local, Tribal, campus, and territorial law enforcement personnel, including personnel of the National Network of Fusion Centers, for the purpose of enhancing domestic preparedness for and collective response to transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression and other homeland security threats; and

(2) share information relating to researching and developing methods for identifying instances, suspected targets, and victims of transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression, and methods for collecting and recording information to help identify suspected perpetrators of transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression.

(c) Comptroller General Review.—Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the implementation of section 890E of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by subsection (a).

(d) Clerical Amendment.—The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 890D the following new item:

“Sec. 890E. Strengthening State and local law enforcement efforts to counter transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression.”. <all>