Congress·In Committee·H.R. 1294

Border Security: New Image Technician Pilot Program

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This bill creates a five-year test program to hire specialized "Image Technicians" at U.S. Customs and Border Protection. These workers would focus entirely on reviewing X-ray and scanning images of cars, trucks, and shipping containers entering or leaving the country.
These technicians would be non-law enforcement staff working in five new regional command centers. Their primary job is to spot hidden drugs, weapons, or people and recommend whether a vehicle needs a closer physical inspection by a border officer.
The goal is to make border crossings faster and more secure. By having specialists dedicated to watching screens, the government hopes to catch more illegal items while reducing wait times for travelers and businesses at land, sea, and air ports.
To protect privacy and legal rights, these workers must complete annual training on civil rights and the Fourth Amendment. While technicians do the initial screening, a sworn Border Protection Officer always makes the final decision on whether to release a vehicle or search it.
Every six months, the government must report to Congress on the program's success. These reports will track if wait times are decreasing, if more illegal goods are being seized, and how many images each technician scans daily.