The Secure the Border Act of 2026 is a comprehensive immigration enforcement bill that makes significant changes to border security, asylum eligibility, and employment verification. On the border security side, the bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to resume and expand wall construction along the southwest border to at least 900 miles, authorizes $33 million for technology upgrades and $125 million for license plate readers at ports of entry, and requires the development of strategic plans and staffing models for border agencies within one to two years. The bill substantially restricts asylum eligibility by requiring applicants to arrive at official ports of entry, barring those who passed through other countries without applying for protection, raising evidentiary standards, and disqualifying individuals convicted of various crimes including misdemeanors and those with prior removal orders or extended unlawful presence. The bill also creates new criminal penalties for visa overstays and increases civil penalties for illegal entry, mandates that states reopen five closed detention facilities by September 2023, and establishes expedited asylum procedures for nationals from Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Additionally, the bill strengthens employment eligibility verification requirements by requiring employers to verify workers through a federal system using identity documents and Social Security numbers on a phased schedule based on company size, with implementation starting within six months for large employers and extending to 24 months or longer for smaller employers and agricultural workers.