2004 US Code
Title 8 - ALIENS AND NATIONALITY
CHAPTER 15 - ENHANCED BORDER SECURITY AND VISA ENTRY REFORM
SUBCHAPTER VI - MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Sec. 1777 - Establishment of Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center

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§1777. Establishment of Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center (a) Establishment

There is established a Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center (referred to in this section as the “Center”).

(b) Operation

The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Attorney General shall operate the Center in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding entitled, “Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center (HSTC), Charter”.

(c) Functions

In addition to such other responsibilities as the President may assign, the Center shall—

(1) serve as the focal point for interagency efforts to address terrorist travel;

(2) serve as a clearinghouse with respect to all relevant information from all Federal Government agencies in support of the United States strategy to prevent separate, but related, issues of clandestine terrorist travel and facilitation of migrant smuggling and trafficking of persons;

(3) ensure cooperation among all relevant policy, law enforcement, diplomatic, and intelligence agencies of the Federal Government to improve effectiveness and to convert all information available to the Federal Government relating to clandestine terrorist travel and facilitation, migrant smuggling, and trafficking of persons into tactical, operational, and strategic intelligence that can be used to combat such illegal activities; and

(4) prepare and submit to Congress, on an annual basis, a strategic assessment regarding vulnerabilities in the United States and foreign travel system that may be exploited by international terrorists, human smugglers and traffickers, and their facilitators.

(d) Report

Not later than 180 days after December 17, 2004, the President shall transmit to Congress a report regarding the implementation of this section, including a description of the staffing and resource needs of the Center.

(e) Relationship to the NCTC

As part of its mission to combat terrorist travel, the Center shall work to support the efforts of the National Counterterrorism Center.

(Pub. L. 108–458, title VII, §7202, Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3813.)

Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, and also as part of the 9/11 Commission Implementation Act of 2004, and not as part of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002 which comprises this chapter.