H.R. 4349 would authorize in statute the existing Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The bill specifies responsibilities for the office, including overseeing DHS’s compliance with current civil rights laws and integrating those laws into its activities. H.R. 4349 also would require each operational component within DHS to have an officer for civil rights and civil liberties. Finally, the bill would require the office to assess the effects of DHS’s regulations on civil rights and civil liberties.
Although DHS already carries out many of the bill’s requirements, H.R. 4349 would broaden some responsibilities and require DHS to undertake new activities. In total, CBO estimates implementing the bill would cost $10 million over the 2022-2026 period, as shown in Table 1. Any spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. The costs of the legislation fall in budget function 750 (administration of justice).
