Border Security and Enforcement

The Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee is a specialized division of the House Committee on Homeland Security that focuses on the operational and enforcement aspects of border management. As a subcommittee, it conducts initial hearings and reviews legislation before matters move to the full committee, which alone can report bills to the House floor. This structure allows the subcommittee to develop detailed expertise in a narrower policy area while the parent committee maintains broader jurisdiction over all homeland security matters.

The subcommittee's jurisdiction covers border and port security across northern and southern land, air, and maritime domains; international aspects of border security; DHS policies facilitating lawful trade and travel; and staffing and resource allocations at ports of entry. It maintains direct oversight of three key agencies: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This focus distinguishes it from other Homeland Security subcommittees that address counterterrorism, cybersecurity, or emergency management.

Chaired by Representative Michael Guest (R-MS) with Ranking Member J. Luis Correa (D-CA), the subcommittee has held multiple hearings in 2025 and 2026. Recent hearings have examined unmanned aircraft systems for border operations, non-intrusive inspection technology at ports of entry, and broader policy questions regarding border enforcement. The subcommittee serves as the primary venue for Congress to scrutinize the day-to-day operations and resource needs of the agencies responsible for securing America's borders and managing immigration enforcement.