U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the United States

Customs And Border Protection Definition

Border Patrol in this legal Encyclopedia
Customs And Border Protection definition in the Law Dictionary

History

On March 1, 2003, U.S. Customs and Border Protection 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 U.S. Customs and Border Protection, security, compliance and facilitation of international travel and trade were conducted by multiple organizations. The consolidation of these roles and responsibilities allowed U.S. Customs and Border Protection to develop seamless security procedures while ensuring compliance with the nation’s immigration, health, and international trade laws and regulations.

In establishing CBP, its leadership ensured that the best traditions of its legacy agencies continued from:

• U.S. Customs Service, which traced its original functions to July 31, 1789, and noted its role as the progenitor of numerous federal bureaus and agencies. The Customs Service closed with the dawn of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, but its commissioner became the leader of CBP and the majority of its staff and responsibilities came to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
• Immigration inspectors, who traced their responsibilities to the establishment of the Office of the Superintendent of Immigration on March 3, 1891.
• Agriculture inspectors, who traced their roles to the passage of the Plant Quarantine Act on Aug. 20, 1912.
• Border Patrol agents, who brought their responsibility for maintaining the integrity of the U.S. borders as they have done since Congress authorized the hiring of Border Patrol personnel on May 28, 1924.
• In addition to this core of specialties and responsibilities present at CBP’s founding, U.S. Customs and Border Protection also developed an air and marine monitoring capability with the formation of its third uniformed division, the Office of Air and Marine on Jan. 17, 2006.
  The uniformed ranks are only a portion of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s specialized corps. They are joined by forensic scientists, international trade specialists, public affairs officers and cadres of other specialists and employees who work together to make U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s processes more secure, cost effective and efficient.

Because of the work of the people of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the United States’ borders and the American communities around them are more secure. But there is much more to be done. As U.S. Customs and Border Protection progresses into its second decade, the nation will see a fully integrated approach to international security, trade and travel that makes the world safer, facilitates international travel and trade, and drives the continuous improvement of CBP’s operations.

Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs And Border Protection

In accordance with the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015, these operations includes:

• administering any customs revenue function (as defined in section 415 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 215));
• coordinating efforts of the Department of Homeland Security with respect to trade facilitation and trade enforcement;
• coordinating with the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with
  respect to investigations relating to trade enforcement; and to the development and
  implementation of the joint strategic plan required by section 105 (of the Act);
• coordinating, on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security, efforts among
  Federal agencies to facilitate legitimate trade and to enforce the customs and trade laws of
  the United States, including representing the Department of Homeland Security in interagency fora addressing such efforts;
• coordinating with customs authorities of foreign countries to facilitate legitimate
  international trade and enforce the customs and trade laws of the United States and the customs and trade laws of foreign countries;
• collecting, assessing, and disseminating information as appropriate and in accordance with any law regarding cargo destined for the United States (1)
• soliciting and considering on a regular basis input from private sector entities, including the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee established by section 109 and the Trade Support Network (2); and
• otherwise advising the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the development of policies associated with facilitating legitimate trade and enforcing the customs and trade laws of the United States.

CBP Attaches

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection operates Attaché Offices in 21 countries around the world. Attachés are posted in U.S. Embassies and Consulates and serve as the Chief of Mission’s Customs and Border Protection in-house specialists where they inform and advise the U.S. Ambassador or Consul General on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection programs and capabilities.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Attachés support and oversee all the U.S. Customs and Border Protection programs in their area of responsibility. Additionally, they seek to educate stakeholders about CBP’s international programs such as: the Container Security Initiative; the Immigration Advisory Program; the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, and; various capacity building programs.

Intergovernmental Public Liaison

CBP works closely with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to coordinate efforts to secure the U.S. border while promoting economic vitality through international travel and trade.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Intergovernmental Public Liaison Office is responsible for providing an effective bridge between local entities and the agency, including the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and program offices. The liaison office works with state, local and tribal partners to identify the impact CBP policies and initiatives have in local communities and help law enforcement understand community views and concerns.

The liaison office fulfills its mission through three primary ways:

Regularly engaging with state, local, territorial and tribal partners. From facilitating roundtables with local law enforcement, elected officials and community leaders to regularly meeting with our tribal partners, the liaison office is here to help proactively work with our state, local and tribal partners.
Serving as local community liaisons. U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Community Liaison Program provides stakeholders with a designated point of contact at their local U.S. Customs and Border Protection location, helping to expand the agency’s relationships in all of our local areas.
Advising U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and program offices. Through regular engagement with state, local and tribal partners, the liaison office serves as an advisor on how U.S. Customs and Border Protection is impacting local communities and ways CBP can better work in a whole community approach to law enforcement.

Concept of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Foreign Trade

A definition of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in relation with foreign trade is provided here: The border agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) charged with the management, control, and protection of our Nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry of the United States.

Resources

Notes and References

1. To ensure that such cargo complies with the customs and trade laws of the United States; and to facilitate the legitimate international trade of such cargo.
2. With respect to, as appropriate: (i) the implementation of changes to the customs and trade laws of the United States; and (ii) the development, implementation, or revision of policies or regulations administered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection