SNAPSHOT

A SUMMARY OF CBP FACTS AND FIGURES

U.S. Customs and Border Protection • 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Washington, DC • 20229

ABOUT CBP

CBP Mission

To safeguard America’s borders thereby protecting the public 

from dangerous people and materials while enhancing the 

Nation’s global economic competitiveness by enabling legitimate 

trade and travel.

CBP Vision

To serve as the premier law enforcement agency enhancing the 

Nation’s safety, security, and prosperity through collaboration, 

innovation, and integration.

KEY LEADERS

Homeland Security Secretary: Kirstjen M. Nielsen

Commissioner: Kevin K. McAleenan

Acting Deputy Commissioner: Robert E. Perez

Chief, U.S. Border Patrol: Carla L. Provost

Executive Assistant Commissioner, Field Operations:

Todd C. Owen

Executive Assistant Commissioner, Air and Marine Operations:

Edward E. Young

Executive Assistant Commissioner, Trade: Brenda B. Smith

Executive Assistant Commissioner, Enterprise Services: 

Kathryn L. Kolbe

TOP RESPONSIBILITIES

Border Security: CBP secures America’s borders at and between 

ports of entry by stopping inadmissible people and illicit goods. 

CBP’s offices of Field Operations, Border Patrol, and Air and 

Marine Operations represent the largest federal law enforcement 

agency.

Trade: CBP works to secure and facilitate imports arriving in the 

U.S., accommodating the increasing volume and complexities 

of international trade. CBP protects U.S. agricultural resources 

through active inspections at ports of entry. With the Container 

Security Initiative, Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, 

and the Automated Commercial Environment, CBP has a sturdy 

base of partnerships and technology to safeguard the American 

public and promote legitimate international commerce.

Travel: Over a million times each day, CBP officers welcome 

international travelers and returning U.S. citizens into the United 

States. CBP secures and facilitates legitimate travel by growing 

trusted traveler programs, embracing business transformation 

initiatives, fostering public-private partnerships, and employing 

robust targeting and risk assessment strategies. Working closely 

with stakeholders, CBP keeps international travelers informed, 

secures the travel environment, and promotes modern global 

tourism.

ON A TYPICAL DAY, CBP:

• Processed:

» 1,088,300 passengers and pedestrians 

- 340,444 incoming international air passengers and crew

- 55,709 passengers and crew on arriving ship/boat

- 691,549 incoming land travelers

» 283,664 incoming privately owned vehicles

» 78,137 truck, rail, and sea containers 

» $6.5 billion worth of imported goods

• Conducted 851 apprehensions between U.S. ports of entry

• Arrested 21 wanted criminals at U.S. ports of entry 

• Encountered 592 inadmissible persons at U.S. ports of entry

• Identified 1,607 individuals with suspected national security 

concerns

• Intercepted 12 fraudulent documents

• Discovered 352 pests at U.S. ports of entry and 4,370 materials 

for quarantine - plant, meat, animal byproduct, and soil 

• Seized:

» 5,863 pounds of narcotics; disrupted 222 pounds of narcotics

» $265,205 undeclared or illicit currency

» $3.3 million worth of products with Intellectual Property 

Rights violations 

• Collected approximately $120.5 million in duties, taxes, and 

other fees, including more than $94.8 million in duties

• Facilitated the release of 90,959 entries of merchandise at air, 

land, and sea ports of entry

• Employed 59,178 men and women including law enforcement 

and trade personnel: 

» 23,079 CBP officers

» 2,423 CBP agriculture specialists 

» 19,437 Border Patrol agents 

» 610 air interdiction agents (pilots)

» 337 marine interdiction agents

» 256 aviation enforcement agents

» 883 trade personnel

• Deployed more than 1,501 canine teams and 375 horse patrols 

• Flew 212 enforcement hours at and beyond the border, and 

within the nation’s interior

• Underway 72 float hours of enforcement missions in the 

United States

• Conducted operations in: 

» 50 countries with more than 868 CBP employees working 

internationally

» 328 ports of entry within 20 field offices 

» 135 Border Patrol stations and 5 substations within 

20 sectors, with 35 immigration checkpoints

» 74 Air and Marine Operations locations, including branches 

and units, National Air Security Operations Centers, and the 

Air and Marine Operations Center

Based on FY 2017 data
SNAPSHOT

A SUMMARY OF CBP FACTS AND FIGURES

August 2018

KEY PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES

Global Entry: This program allows pre-approved, low-risk U.S. 

citizens and lawful permanent residents expedited clearance 

upon arrival into the U.S. Participants enter using automated 

self-service kiosks and are generally exempt from routine CBP 

questioning.

Electronic System for Travel Authorization: ESTA is an 

automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors 

from Visa Waiver countries prior to boarding a carrier to travel 

to the U.S. ESTA enhances the security of these travelers and will 

allow the U.S. government to continue to expand the program 

with our most trusted allies.

Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism: Under C-TPAT, 

importers who meet certain security standards are provided 

expedited processing benefits. This enables CBP to facilitate 

legitimate trade while focusing resources on unknown or highrisk shipments.

Automated Commercial Environment: ACE is a modernized 

commercial trade processing system with features designed to 

consolidate and automate border processing. It provides a solid 

technology foundation for all border security initiatives within 

CBP.

Centers of Excellence and Expertise: These centers work 

with the international trade community to transform CBP’s 

approach to trade operations. The Centers increase the use of 

uniform practices across ports of entry, help to timely resolve 

trade compliance issues nationwide, and further strengthen 

critical agency knowledge of key industry practices. Centers 

of Excellence and Expertise for 10 different industries operate 

nationwide.

Preclearance: Through CBP preclearance, CBP officers and 

agriculture specialists perform the same immigration, customs, 

and agriculture inspections of air passengers on foreign soil – 

prior to boarding a direct flight to the U.S. – without further 

CBP processing or security screening upon arrival. This creates 

opportunities for increased security, economic growth, and an 

improved passenger experience.

HISTORY

1789: The fifth act of the first Congress establishes Customs.

1862: The U.S. Department of Agriculture is created to “procure, 

propagate and distribute among the people new and valuable 

seeds and plants.”

1904: The U.S. Immigration Service is assigned a small force 

of mounted inspectors to patrol the border to prevent illegal 

crossings.

1912: The Department of Agriculture’s Plant Protection and 

Quarantine Program at ports of entry evolves out of the creation 

of the Federal Horticultural Board.

1924: Congress establishes the United States Border Patrol as part 

of the Immigration Bureau, an arm of the Department of Labor.

1993: Operation Hold the Line is established, marking a shift 

toward forward deployment to deter illegal border crossings.

2003: Bureau of Customs and Border Protection is established 

becoming the first joint border management agency in the 

world and the largest federal law enforcement agency in the 

United States.

2004: CBP begins receiving advanced information on cargo 

coming to the U.S. allowing the agency to further guard the 

country against terrorist threats.

2005: Hurricane Katrina strikes the Gulf Coast and the Florida 

panhandle. CBP assists in rescue and recovery and works to 

divert cargo traffic to other ports.

2010: Faisal Shazad, known as the Times Square Bomber, is 

apprehended at JFK Airport by CBP officers moments before 

escaping the United States.

2011: Centers of Excellence and Expertise become operational, 

bringing important new capabilities to CBP’s trade and security 

mission.

2011: CBP’s unmanned aircraft system is deployed to provide 

the National Weather Service and emergency responders with 

real-time images during the Red River floods in Minnesota and 

North Dakota.

2013: CBP marks the 10th anniversary of its founding in 2003.

2015: CBP’s Office of Air and Marine becomes Air and Marine 

Operations (AMO).

DHS: www.dhs.gov | CBP: www.cbp.gov | CBP Careers: www.cbp.gov/careers | Federal Job Opportunities: www.usajobs.gov

AIR AND MARINE OPERATIONS OFFICE OF FIELD OPERATIONS U.S. BORDER PATROL