U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. regulations, including trade, customs and immigration. It has its headquarters in Washington, D.C.
While its primary mission is preventing terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States, the agency is also responsible for apprehending individuals attempting to enter the United States illegally, stemming the flow of illegal drugs and other contraband, protecting United States agricultural and economic interests from harmful pests and diseases, and protecting American businesses from intellectual property theft.
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In 2003, the agency became the nation’s first comprehensive border security agency with a focus on maintaining the integrity of the nation’s boundaries and ports of entry.
Before the establishment of the agency, security, compliance and facilitation of international travel and trade were conducted by multiple organizations. The consolidation of these roles and responsibilities allowed the agency to develop seamless security procedures while ensuring compliance with the nation’s immigration, health, and international trade laws and regulations.
With more than 60,000 employees, the agency is one of the world’s largest law enforcement organizations and is charged with keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the U.S. while facilitating lawful international travel and trade.
As the United States’ first unified border entity, Customs and Border Protection takes a comprehensive approach to border management and control, combining customs, immigration, border security, and agricultural protection into one coordinated and supportive activity.
Pete R. Flores is the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He directs the agency’s three core missions of counterterrorism, border security, and trade enforcement, while facilitating $4 trillion in trade and facilitating travel of over 410 million people through ports of entry.
Customs and Border Protection is divided into the following subtopics:
General Information
- Web Site
- Contacts
- Field Operations Offices
- One Mobile App
- Inspector’s Field Manual
- Organization Chart
- Forms
- Customer Service Center
- Hold the Agency Accountable
- Restrictions on Access to Counsel (AIC) (October 2014)
- Use of Force Policy, Guidelines, and Procedures Handbook (Office of Training and Development) (May 2014)
- Use of Force Review: Cases and Policies (Police Executive Research Forum) (February 2013)
Border Security
- Border Security
- Locate a Port of Entry (includes contact information)
- U.S. Border Patrol
- Border Patrol Sectors
- Know Before You Go: Top Ten Travel Tips (5-22-13)
Travel
- Carrier Information Guide
- 3 Simple Steps for US Land Border Entry
- Automatic Visa Revalidation
- Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) Frequently Asked Questions
- U.S. Citizens/Lawful Permanent Residents
- International Visitors
- I-94 and I-94W
- Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)
- Visa Waiver Program
- Clearing Customs and Border Protection
- Trusted Traveler Programs
- Border Wait Times
- Border Wait Times (Canada and Mexico)
- Travel News
- Customer Service
News
- Launch of enhanced CBP Home mobile app with new Report Departure feature (3-10-25) “The application has a new feature – Intent to Depart – which offers unlawfully present aliens or those aliens whose parole has been revoked an orderly and defined voluntary process to notify the U.S. Government of their intent to depart the United States. This new feature is a necessary tool to comply with the President’s Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion.”
- Report finds agents used improper force against Haitian migrants (7-8-22)
- ESTA Fee Change (5-24-22)
- An Oversight Agenda for Customs and Border Protection: America’s Largest, Least Accountable Law Enforcement Agency (10-12-21)
- Biden decries ‘horrible’ treatment of migrants, promises repercussions for agents (9-24-21)
- Newsroom
- Publication of Interim Final Rule Automating Form I-94 (3-27-13)
- Summary of Laws Enforced by Agency
- Statistics & Summaries
- Advisories
- Media Releases
- Congressional Testimony
- Multimedia Gallery
- News Highlights