U.S. Customs and Border Protection

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is charged with preventing terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States. CBP also is responsible for apprehending individuals attempting to enter the United States illegally, stemming the flow of illegal drugs and other contraband; protecting our agricultural and economic interests from harmful pests and diseases; protecting American businesses from theft of their intellectual property; and regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. trade laws.

To accomplish its missions, CBP has a workforce of over 40,000 employees, including inspectors, canine enforcement officers, Border Patrol agents, trade specialists, and mission support staff.

CBP became an official agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003, combining employees from the Department of Agriculture, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Border Patrol and the United States Customs Service.