Bill Summary
The "Stop Coyotes' Oppression and Organized Trafficking, and Ensuring Safety Act" (or "Stop COYOTES Act") aims to enhance penalties for specific offenses involving children and certain drug-related crimes, particularly those connected to fentanyl.
Key provisions include:
1. **Increased Punishment for Offenses Involving Children**: The act establishes harsher penalties for individuals convicted of felony offenses against minors when these offenses occur near schools, playgrounds, and youth centers. Offenders could face an additional prison term of up to 10 years, served consecutively to any other sentences.
2. **Enhanced Penalties for Fentanyl Offenses**: The legislation proposes significant increases in financial penalties for violations involving fentanyl and other specified substances, raising maximum fines dramatically to deter trafficking and distribution.
3. **Information Sharing and Reporting**: It requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that relevant agencies share information about illegal immigration, human trafficking, alien smuggling, and drug-related offenses. This includes a mandate for regular reporting to Congress on these issues to improve oversight and response capabilities.
Overall, the act seeks to strengthen legal consequences for child exploitation and drug trafficking while improving inter-agency collaboration to combat these crimes effectively.
Possible Impacts
The "Stop COYOTES Act" proposes increased punishments for certain offenses involving children and fentanyl, as well as enhanced information sharing among law enforcement agencies. Here are three examples of how this legislation could affect people:
1. **Increased Protection for Children**: By imposing harsher penalties for crimes involving minors, particularly those occurring near schools and youth centers, the legislation aims to deter potential offenders. This could lead to a safer environment for children, as the increased risks of severe punishment may discourage individuals from engaging in trafficking, sexual offenses, or other crimes against minors.
2. **Stricter Consequences for Drug Offenses**: The bill also introduces higher penalties for offenses involving fentanyl, a potent and dangerous opioid. This could impact drug dealers and traffickers by increasing the severity of sentences for those caught distributing fentanyl, potentially leading to a decrease in the availability of these substances. As a result, communities may experience a reduction in drug-related crime and overdose deaths, ultimately benefiting public health and safety.
3. **Enhanced Law Enforcement Collaboration**: The legislation mandates improved information sharing between federal and local law enforcement agencies regarding trafficking, smuggling, and related crimes. This could lead to more effective policing and coordinated efforts to combat these issues, resulting in quicker responses to crimes and better resource allocation. Communities located near borders may see increased enforcement efforts, which could lead to a greater sense of security and lower crime rates related to trafficking and smuggling activities.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4472 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4472
To amend title 18, United States Code, to increase the punishment for
certain offenses involving children, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 16, 2025
Mr. Vasquez (for himself and Mr. McCaul) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition
to the Committees on Homeland Security, and Energy and Commerce, for a
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to increase the punishment for
certain offenses involving children, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Stop Coyotes' Oppression and
Organized Trafficking, and Ensuring Safety Act'' or the ``Stop COYOTES
Act''.
SEC. 2. INCREASED PUNISHMENT FOR CERTAIN OFFENSES INVOLVING CHILDREN.
(a) In General.--Chapter 110 of title 18, United States Code, is
amended by inserting after section 2251A the following:
``Sec. 2251B. Offenses involving children
``(a) Offense.--Any person who commits a felony offense involving a
minor under section 1201, 1466A, 1470, 1591, 1594, 2241, 2242, 2243,
2244, 2245, 2251, 2251A, 2260, 2421, 2422, 2423, or 2425, within 1,000
feet of the real property comprising a public or private elementary,
vocational, or secondary school or a public or private college, junior
college, or university, school-sponsored activity, or a playground, or
housing facility owned by a public housing authority, or within 100
feet of a public or private youth center, public park, public
playground, public swimming pool, or video arcade facility, shall be
sentenced to a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years in addition to
the imprisonment imposed for the offense under that provision. The
sentence imposed under this section shall be consecutive to any
sentence imposed for the offense under that provision.
``(b) Minor Defined.--In this section, the term `minor' means an
individual who has not attained 18 years of age.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 110 of
title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 2251A the following new item:
``2251B. Offenses involving children.''.
SEC. 3. INCREASED PUNISHMENT FOR CERTAIN OFFENSES INVOLVING FENTANYL.
Section 401(b)(1) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C.
841(b)(1)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), in the matter following clause
(viii)--
(A) by inserting ``(or, in the case of a violation
involving a substance described in clause (vi),
$15,000,000)'' after ``$10,000,000'';
(B) by inserting ``(or, in the case of a violation
involving a substance described in clause (vi),
$75,000,000)'' after ``$50,000,000'';
(C) by inserting ``(or, in the case of a violation
involving a substance described in clause (vi),
$30,000,000)'' after ``$20,000,000''; and
(D) by inserting ``(or, in the case of a violation
involving a substance described in clause (vi),
$112,500,000)'' after ``$75,000,000''; and
(2) in subparagraph (B), in the matter following clause
(viii)--
(A) by inserting ``(or, in the case of a violation
involving a substance described in clause (vi),
$7,500,000)'' after ``$5,000,000'';
(B) by inserting ``(or, in the case of a violation
involving a substance described in clause (vi),
$37,500,000)'' after ``$25,000,000'';
(C) by inserting ``(or, in the case of a violation
involving a substance described in clause (vi),
$12,000,000)'' after ``$8,000,000''; and
(D) by inserting ``(or, in the case of a violation
involving a substance described in clause (vi),
$75,000,000)'' after ``$50,000,000''.
SEC. 4. INFORMATION SHARING AND REPORTING.
(a) Information Sharing.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall
ensure that the Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the
Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection share the
information described in subsection (c) that is collected by each
respective department with each other, and with--
(1) State law enforcement agencies in States along a land
border of the United States; and
(2) local law enforcement agencies that serve jurisdictions
located not more than 100 miles from a land border of the
United States.
(b) Report to Congress.--On the date that is 180 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, and every 180 days therefter, the
Secretary of Homeland Security shall report to Congress the information
described in subsection (c) that has been collected during the previous
180-day period by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs
and Border Protection.
(c) Information Described.--The information described in this
subsection is information about the following:
(1) The unlawful entry of aliens along the southern border
of the United States.
(2) Severe forms of trafficking in persons and sex
trafficking (as defined in section 103 of the Trafficking
Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102)) occurring in
the United States, including cases in which the victim of
trafficking was smuggled into the United States from Mexico.
(3) The smuggling of aliens as described in section 274(a)
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1324(a)).
(4) The kidnapping of aliens outside of the United States
for the purpose of smuggling such aliens into and trafficking
such aliens in the United States.
(5) Abuse and assault of aliens committed by traffickers
and smugglers.
(6) The smuggling of controlled substances (as such term is
defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21
U.S.C. 802)) and firearms (as such term is defined in section
921 of title 18, United States Code) into the United States.
(7) The prevalence of the involvement of gangs and
transnational criminal organizations in the activities
described in paragraphs (1) through (6).
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