To amend title 18, United States Code, to increase the punishment for certain offenses involving children, and for other purposes.
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Vasquez (for himself and Mr. McCaul) introduced the following …
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Stop COYOTES Act (Stop Coyotes Oppression and Organized Trafficking, and Ensuring Safety Act) addresses crimes involving children, fentanyl trafficking, and border security through three main mechanisms:
-
Enhanced Criminal Penalties Near Protected Areas: Creates a new federal offense (18 U.S.C. 2251B) that adds up to 10 years of consecutive imprisonment for child-related felonies committed within 1,000 feet of schools, colleges, playgrounds, or public housing, or within 100 feet of youth centers, parks, pools, or video arcades.
-
Increased Fentanyl Trafficking Fines: Amends the Controlled Substances Act to increase maximum fines for fentanyl-related violations by 50% (e.g., from $10 million to $15 million for first offenses, from $50 million to $75 million for repeat offenses).
-
Border Security Information Sharing: Requires DHS to share data between ICE, CBP, and state/local law enforcement within 100 miles of land borders, with semi-annual reporting to Congress on trafficking, smuggling, and border security matters.
Who Benefits and How
- Children and Minors: Enhanced deterrence against exploitation near schools and protected areas
- Law Enforcement Agencies: Improved information sharing and coordination on border security
- Border Communities: Better intelligence on trafficking, smuggling, and transnational crime
- Prosecutors: Stronger sentencing tools for child exploitation cases
Who Bears the Burden and How
- Convicted Offenders: Face significantly longer prison sentences and higher fines
- DHS/ICE/CBP: Additional reporting and information-sharing requirements
- Federal Prison System: Potential increased incarceration costs from longer sentences
- Defense Attorneys and Courts: Increased caseload complexity from enhanced penalties
Key Provisions
- Creates new 18 U.S.C. Section 2251B for proximity-based sentencing enhancement
- Amends 21 U.S.C. 841(b)(1) to increase fentanyl fines by 50%
- Mandates 180-day reporting cycle to Congress on seven categories of border security data
- Requires information sharing with state/local law enforcement within 100 miles of land borders
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
This bill enhances criminal penalties for child-related offenses near schools and other protected areas, increases fines for fentanyl trafficking, and mandates information sharing between federal, state, and local law enforcement on border security, human trafficking, and drug smuggling.
Policy Domains
Legislative Strategy
"This bill combines punitive deterrence (enhanced criminal penalties) with administrative requirements (information sharing) to address child exploitation, drug trafficking, and border security. The proximity-based enhancement mirrors existing "drug-free school zones" approaches. The reporting requirements create accountability mechanisms for border security efforts."
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_court"
- → Federal Courts
- "convicted_person"
- → Persons convicted of specified felonies
- "the_director"
- → Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Homeland Security
- "the_commissioner"
- → Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
Stop Coyotes Oppression and Organized Trafficking, and Ensuring Safety Act (Stop COYOTES Act)
As defined in section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102)
An individual who has not attained 18 years of age
As defined in section 921 of title 18, United States Code
As defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology