S N A P S H O T

A summary of CBP facts and figures

ON A T YPICAL DAY, CBP:

• Processed:

» 1,048,632 passengers and pedestrians 

- 308,234 incoming international air 

passengers and crew

- 54,236 passengers and crew on arriving 

ship/boat

- 686,162 incoming land travelers

» 72,179 truck, rail, and sea containers 

» 282,252 incoming privately owned vehicles

• Conducted 924 apprehensions between U.S. 

ports of entry

• Arrested 23 wanted criminals at U.S. ports of 

entry 

• Refused 367 inadmissible persons at U.S. ports 

of entry 

• Discovered 470 pests at U.S. ports of entry and 

4,548 materials for quarantine — plant, meat, 

animal byproduct, and soil 

• Seized:

» 9,435 pounds of drugs

» $356,396 in undeclared or illicit currency

» $3.7 million dollars’ worth of products 

with Intellectual Property Rights violations 

• Identified 600 individuals with suspected 

national security concerns

• Intercepted 26 fraudulent documents

• Employed 59,472 CBP employees, including: 

» 22,947 CBP officers

» 2,413 CBP Agriculture specialists 

» 20,183 Border Patrol agents 

» 691 Air Interdiction agents (pilots) 

» 333 Marine Interdiction agents

» 148 Aviation Enforcement officers

• Deployed more than 807 canine teams and 

379 horse patrols 

• Flew 225 hours of enforcement missions over 

the United States

• Performed 80 float hours of enforcement 

missions in the United States

• Conducted operations at: 

» 47 countries with more than 800 CBP 

employees working internationally

» 328 ports of entry within 20 field offices 

» 135 Border Patrol stations and six 

substations within 20 sectors, with 35 

permanent checkpoints

» 14 Air and Marine branches, five National 

Security Operations, and one Air and 

Marine Operations Center

Note: Based on FY 15 data.

1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Washington, DC • 20229 • www.cbp.gov

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: Jeh C. Johnson

Commissioner: R. Gil Kerlikowske

Deputy Commissioner: Kevin K. McAleenan

Chief, U.S. Border Patrol: Mark A. Morgan

Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner, Air and Marine Operations: Edward Young

Executive Assistant Commissioner, Field Operations: Todd C. Owen

Executive Assistant Commissioner, Operations Support: Ronald D. Vitiello

Executive Assistant Commissioner, Trade: Brenda B. Smith

Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner, Enterprise Services: Randolph D. Alles

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).
S N A P S H O T

A summary of CBP facts and figures

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: Fostering safe and speedy international travel is a key goal of CBP, 

which has been increasing passenger security through effective risk assessment, 

growing trusted traveler programs and better use of technology. CBP’s Model 

Port Initiative is active in the 20 largest airports in the nation, providing audio 

and video instruction, queue management, and assigned personnel to enhance 

the traveler’s experience. CBP takes seriously its role in welcoming our guests to 

the U.S.

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 will 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 high-risk 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.

Border Safety Initiative: BSI is a humanitarian, bi-national strategy designed to 

reduce migrant deaths and make the border safer for agents, border residents, 

and migrants. The intent of the initiative is to educate and inform potential 

migrants of the dangers and hazards of crossing the border illegally and to 

respond to those who are in life-threatening situations.

ON THE WEB

DHS: www.dhs.gov

CBP: www.cbp.gov

CBP Travel Info: www.cbp.gov/travel

CBP Import Info: www.cbp.gov/trade

CBP News: www.cbp.gov/newsroom

CBP Careers: www.cbp.gov/careers

Federal Job Opportunities: www.usajobs.gov

Air Interdiction agents in a Blackhawk helicopter are preparing 

for a rescue mission of an illegal alien stranded on a ledge of 

the Cerro Colorado Mountains near Arivaca, Ariz.

Border Patrol in south Texas removes tracks that could lead 

aliens illegally across the border.

CBP officer and canine inspect inbound vehicles at the Juarez 

Lincoln Bridge port of entry in Laredo, Texas.

Photos by U.S. Customs and Border Protection

November 2016