Border Security

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has a complex mission at ports of entry with broad law enforcement authorities tied to screening all foreign visitors, returning American citizens and imported cargo that enters the U.S. at more than 300 land, air and seaports.

The United States Border Patrol is the mobile, uniformed law enforcement arm of U.S. Customs and Border Protection within the Department of Homeland Security responsible for securing U.S. borders between ports of entry.

Air and Marine Operations (AMO) safeguard our Nation by anticipating and confronting security threats through our aviation and maritime law enforcement expertise, innovative capabilities, and partnerships at the border and beyond.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is entrusted with the critical responsibility of protecting our nation’s borders. This mandate carries with it the authority to use force up to and including the use of deadly force.

As we commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the United States Border Patrol (USBP), it is with great pride that we reflect on the history of the USBP and share our vision for the future.

This strategy is a milestone for the organization as it identifies the unique capabilities and offers a vision for the effectiveness of the organization for the next 10 years.

Consistent with the Secretary’s direction, CBP will continue to prioritize threats to national security, public safety, and border security. CBP is updating its procedures and training to implement the new priorities.

Invasive species and toxic substances are among the many threats to American agriculture and natural resources. Through targeting, detection, and interception, CBP agriculture specialists (CBPAS) work to prevent these threats from entering the United States.

The CBP Canine Program is critical to the mission of the Department of Homeland Security: "To Protect the Homeland." The primary goal of the CBP Canine Program is terrorist detection and apprehension.

In 2000, Congress signed the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act into law, representing the beginning of a large-scale, coordinated effort by the United States government to fight human trafficking.

Department-wide policy guides CBP and ICE enforcement actions, such as arrests, interviews, searches, and immigration enforcement surveillance operations, in or near areas that require special protection.

In response to record increases in passenger and cargo volumes, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has established public-private partnerships as a strategic solution to enhance operational capacity, improve infrastructure, and streamline processing at ports of entry.

Advancing the diplomatic mission of CBP and extend the zone of U.S. border security across the globe through the sharing of information, international-partner engagement, and the promotion of CBP international initiatives.