Gonzales introduces bill to expand protections for Border Patrol assisting state, local law enforcement

Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, is calling on lawmakers to strengthen protections for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel when assisting local and state law enforcement.

In January, Gonzales introduced the Homeland Threat Response Act, which would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the deployment and assistance of CBP for investigations of certain violent acts, shootings, and mass killings, and for other purposes, including big events. 

He cited BORTAC (Border Patrol Tactical Unit) and BORSTAR (Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue), elite units within the U.S. Border Patrol's Special Operations Group (SOG) which are often called upon to assist local authorities in matters not related to immigration enforcement. 

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"They're doing so at a risk," Gonzales told Fox News Digital, saying the CBP personnel currently aren't afforded the same level of protection as other law enforcement officers while working in matters apart from their jurisdiction. "They're called upon and asked to operate in other spaces that aren't their necessarily primary duty." 

"This creates a level playing field when it comes to protection," he added. 

The legislation came as the United States is poised to host several big sporting events in which CBP may be called upon to assist, Gonzales said. On Sunday, Super Bowl LX will be played in Santa Clara, California.

In addition, several American cities will host games for the FIFA World Cup in July and Los Angeles will be the site of the 2028 Summer Olympics. 

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"It's going to be this group that's going to keep us safe," Gonzales said.

Border Patrol SOG teams have supported or directly participated in several major domestic incidents, including mass shootings, the capture of criminal illegal immigrants and prisoners.

Gonzales noted that the SOG personnel are some of the best trained officers in law enforcement amid talks by some Democrats who want to defund the Department of Homeland Security because of the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration, particularly in Minnesota. 

"I'm seeing Democrats cave to the liberal left that want to defund and want to make it harder for law enforcement to do its job," he said. "Let's make sure that a federal officer in this space isn't thinking about ‘what if…’ they are focused solely on their mission and completing the mission like they're trained to do."