McAllen Congressman Vicente Gonzalez has co-authored a bill that aims to prevent the deaths of migrants crossing the southern border and to improve the ability to identify those who have perished during their journey.
The bipartisan House measure is the companion to the John Cornyn-Kamala Harris bill that passed in the Senate this month. The legislation provides relief to local law enforcement agencies by allowing local and state governments, nonprofit organizations, and others to also apply for grants to assist in identifying and processing the remains of migrants found in regions along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The grant funding can also be used to cover costs for hiring DNA technicians and forensic specialists. In addition, the money helps purchase more 9-1-1 cellular relay beacons that can locate lost migrants. Congressman Gonzalez co-sponsored the measure with Republican Texas Congressman Will Hurd.
