Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) recently introduced legislation cracking down on illegal cross-border tunnel operations.
The bill, known as the Subterranean Border Defense Act, aims to require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to focus on countering illegal southern border tunnel crossings used for trafficking and smuggling.
“This bill is a strong step to keeping America and her people safe in the long run,” Sen. Scott said.
The legislation does so by amending the Border Tunnel Prevention Act of 2012 to direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to submit an annual report on its strategic plan to crack down on the illicit schemes.
Sen. Scott Emphasizes The Bill's Necessity
“For four miserable years, Joe Biden rolled out the red carpet for human traffickers, drug smugglers, and other international criminals to illegally enter and terrorize our country,” Sen. Scott said. “Our communities were flooded with drugs brought through border tunnels, and Americans paid the price.”
In response to the former Biden administration’s immigration policy, Sen. Scott affirmed that the bill will ensure that the “chaos” brought in during that period never returns.
“Under President [Donald] Trump, fentanyl deaths have plummeted, and our neighborhoods are safer, but we need to make sure it stays that way – and that no future president can bring back the chaos,” Sen. Scott said.
Rep. Eli Crane Praises Scott For His Commitment
Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) first introduced the bill in Jan. 2025 and received bipartisan approval in March.
Sen. Scott’s counterpart comes after a Homeland Security Task Force investigation that uncovered a series of cross-border tunnels between San Diego, California, and Tijuana, Mexico. The tunnels contained 2,200 pounds of cocaine worth approximately $45 million.
“I’m grateful to Senator Rick Scott for leading the Subterranean Border Defense Act in the Senate,” Rep. Crane said. “We owe it to the American people to do everything in our control to eliminate human trafficking, drug smuggling, and unlawful entries.”
