Emerging Innovative Border Technologies Act

The Emerging Innovative Border Technologies Act requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a comprehensive plan for identifying, integrating, and deploying new, innovative, or advanced technologies to enhance U.S. Customs and Border Protection's capabilities along international borders and at ports of entry. This plan, to be submitted within 180 days, must detail how CBP will leverage its Innovation Teams and other mechanisms to meet mission needs. The plan's contents are extensive, including an assessment of potential privacy, civil rights, civil liberties, and safety impacts of these technologies, along with proposed mitigation measures. It also requires the identification of technologies used by other federal agencies that could benefit CBP and an analysis of procurement authorities, assessing if additional ones are needed. Furthermore, the plan must explain how CBP intends to scale existing technology programs into official programs of record. A key component of the bill authorizes the CBP Commissioner to maintain CBP Innovation Teams to research and adapt commercial technologies for border security. These teams are tasked with operating consistent with Department of Homeland Security procurement and artificial intelligence policies, and must consult with civil rights and privacy officers. They are also required to establish operating procedures, strategic goals, and protocols for rapidly transitioning successful technologies. The bill mandates annual reporting on the activities of these Innovation Teams, including descriptions of piloted technologies and their success. Before any large-scale deployment of new technology, the Secretary must conduct a cost-benefit analysis to ensure quantifiable improvements to border security are achieved.