HR 2: Secure the Border Act of 2023

HR 2 in plain English: The Secure the Border Act of 2023 makes broad changes to U.S. immigration and border security law, including resuming border wall construction, restricting asylum eligibility, and requiring employers to electronically verify workers' employment eligibility. The bill sets new mandates for Border Patrol staffing, technology investments, and enforcement penalties.

Stated purpose

To secure the borders of the United States by resuming border wall construction, strengthening asylum restrictions, increasing border personnel and technology, and requiring employers to use an electronic system to verify workers' eligibility to work in the U.S.

Key points

• Requires construction of a border wall along at least 900 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, up from the current 700-mile requirement
• Mandates at least 22,000 full-time Border Patrol agents by September 30, 2025, with up to $100 million authorized for agent retention bonuses
• Authorizes $110 million per year for fiscal years 2024–2028 for Operation Stonegarden grants to local law enforcement near borders
• Imposes a new asylum application fee of at least $50 and raises certain immigration violation civil penalties to between $500 and $25,000 depending on the offense
• Requires all employers to use an electronic system to verify new employees' work eligibility, with penalties raised significantly for violations

Arguments supporters make

• The bill enforces existing immigration law and gives border agencies the staff, technology, and physical barriers they need to actually control who enters the country.
• Requiring all employers to verify workers electronically removes a major incentive for illegal immigration and protects American workers from unfair wage competition.
• Tightening asylum rules stops bad actors from exploiting a humanitarian system meant for people in genuine danger, while faster processing is fairer to legitimate claimants too.

Arguments opponents make

• The asylum restrictions are so broad that people fleeing real violence or persecution could be turned away before they get a fair hearing, potentially violating U.S. legal and treaty obligations.
• Mandating wall construction across 900 miles and waiving all legal requirements to build it fast could cause significant environmental damage and override local communities with no recourse.
• Cutting federal funds to NGOs that provide legal aid or shelter could leave vulnerable migrants — including children — without basic protections, pushing problems into communities with fewer resources to handle them.

Tradeoffs

The bill prioritizes stricter enforcement and reduced unauthorized entry, which supporters say restores order but which critics say comes at the cost of humanitarian protections and legal oversight over how border infrastructure is built. Expanding mandatory employer verification could reduce illegal hiring but would also place new compliance costs and administrative burdens on businesses of all sizes.

Current status in Congress: Passed House.

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