A customs clearing house since 1993, Santa Teresa, New Mexico recently finished its official Border Crossing Patrol Station. It is a new port design which will hopefully be a model for future border station facilities. In front of Humphries' office is a large yellow circle. Pilots who fly into the U.S. must first give U.S. Customs an hour's notice. The airport's popularity has grown because clearing customs is quicker than in El Paso, and fuel is less expensive.
Businesses keep their jets here because property tax is less in New Mexico than Texas.
Additional traffic comes for the horse racing at the Sunland Park Racetrack. This is the site for one of the most modern and efficient international border cattle crossings in North America. Santa Teresa's National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration Weather Station gives weather information to El Paso and the surrounding area. Consequently, Santa Teresa airport has accurate weather reports. Sitting at 3,930 MSL, Santa Teresa sees little but sunshine.