United States 115th Congress Status: Died 1 D cosponsors

HR 3943 — Protecting the Property Rights of Border Landowners Act

Last action — Referred to the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. Died in session

This bill died with 115th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Protecting the Property Rights of Border Landowners Act This bill amends the the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as well as the Department of Justice (DOJ), to acquire by purchase or gift any interest in land near an international border deemed essential to guard U.S. boundaries or borders, and (2) prohibit DHS or DOJ from using condemnation authority to acquire land to construct a wall or other physical barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Bill Text

Sections of law this bill changes

1 section in 1 law

From the bill's own amending language, matched to the official United States Code (current through Public Law 119-124).

Immigration and nationality · 8 U.S.C. ch. 12 1 section
  • § 1103 Powers and duties of the Secretary, the Under Secretary, and the Attorney General Amends

    8 U.S.C. § 1103 — at 1103(b)

    The law today

    (a) Secretary of Homeland Security (1) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall be charged with the administration and enforcement of this chapter and all other laws relating to the immigration and naturalization of aliens, except insofar as this chapter or such laws relate to the powers, functions, and duties conferred upon the President, Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the officers of the Department of State, or diplomatic or consular officers: Provided, however, That determination and ruling by the Attorney General with respect to all questions of law shall be controlling. (2) He shall have control, direction, and supervision of all employees and of all the files and records of the Service. (3) He shall establish such regulations; prescribe such forms of bond, reports, entries, and other papers; issue such instructions; and perform such other acts as he deems necessary for carrying out his authority under the provisions of this chapter. (4) He may require or authorize any employee of the Service or the Department of Justice to perform or exercise any of the powers, privileges, or duties conferred or imposed by this chapter or regulations issued thereunder upon any other employee of the Service. (5) He shall have the power and duty to control and guard the boundaries and borders of the United States against the illegal entry of aliens and shall, in his discretion, appoint for that purpose such number of employees of the Service as to him shall appear necessary and proper. (6) He is authorized to confer or impose upon any employee of the United States, with the consent of the head of the Department or other independent establishment under whose jurisdiction the employee is serving, any of the powers, privileges, or duties conferred or imposed by this chapter or regulations issued thereunder upon officers or employees of the Service. (7) He may, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, establish offices of the Service in foreign countries; and, after consultation with the Secretary of State, he may, whenever in his judgment such action may be necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter, detail employees of the Service for duty in foreign countries. (8) After consultation with the Secretary of State, the Attorney General may authorize officers of a foreign country to be stationed at preclearance facilities in the United States for the purpose of ensuring that persons traveling from or through the United States to that foreign country comply with that country’s immigration and related laws. (9) Those officers may exercise such authority and perform such duties as United States immigration officers are authorized to exercise and perform in that foreign country under reciprocal agreement, and they shall enjoy such reasonable privileges and immunities necessary for the performance of their duties as the government of their country extends to United States immigration officers. (10) In the event the Attorney General determines that an actual or imminent mass influx of aliens arriving off the coast of the United States, or near a land border, presents urgent circumstances requiring an immediate Federal response, the Attorney General may authorize any State or local law enforcement officer, with the consent of the head of the department, agency, or establishment under whose jurisdiction the individual is serving, to perform or exercise any of the powers, privileges, or duties conferred or imposed by this chapter or regulations issued thereunder upon officers or employees of the Service. (11) The Attorney General, in support of persons in administrative detention in non-Federal institutions, is authorized— (A) to make payments from funds appropriated for the administration and enforcement of the laws relating to immigration, naturalization, and alien registration for necessary clothing, medical care, necessary guard hire, and the housing, care, and security of persons detained by the Service pursuant to Fed...

    17 other bills also change this section · Follow it → Official text at uscode.house.gov ↗

How this bill changes current law

7 changes Share ↗

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill prohibits the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General from using eminent domain to acquire land for constructing a border wall along the international border with Mexico.

  • 8 U.S.C. 1103(b)(3)

    Attorney General and the lawful owner → Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as applicable, and the lawful owner

    Changes the parties involved in the land acquisition negotiations.

  • 8 U.S.C. 1103(b)(3)

    Attorney General may → Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as applicable, may

    Allows both the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to act regarding land acquisition.

  • 8 U.S.C. 1103(b)(3)

    , except that neither the Attorney General nor the Secretary may commence any such proceedings for the acquisition of any interest in land for the purpose of constructing a wall, or other physical barrier, along the international border between the United States and Mexico

    Explicitly prohibits acquisition of land for wall construction through eminent domain.

  • 8 U.S.C. 1103(b)(1)

    Attorney General may → Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security may

    Grants the Secretary of Homeland Security the same land acquisition authority as the Attorney General.

  • 8 U.S.C. 1103(b)(2)

    Attorney General may → Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security may

    Allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to determine reasonable prices for land acquisition.

  • 8 U.S.C. 1103(b)(2)

    the Attorney General considers → the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as applicable, considers

    Allows both officials to assess land prices.

  • 8 U.S.C. 1103(b)(4)

    Attorney General may → Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security may

    Permits the Secretary of Homeland Security to accept gifts of land similarly to the Attorney General.

Action History

  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security.

  2. Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.

  3. Introduced in House

  4. Introduced in House

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 546 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (546)

546 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

immigration housing
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HR 3943 do?
Protecting the Property Rights of Border Landowners Act This bill amends the the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as well as the Department of Justice (DOJ), to acquire by purchase or gift any interest in land near an international border deemed essential to guard U.S. boundaries or borders, and (2) prohibit DHS or DOJ from using condemnation authority to acquire land to construct a wall or other physical barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Who sponsors HR 3943?
HR 3943 is sponsored by O'Rourke, Beto (Democratic).
What is the current status of HR 3943?
This bill died with 115th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HR 3943?
Track HR 3943 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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