History
Container Security Initiative Launched to Protect Global Trade, Enhance Border Security
The U.S. Customs Service, a CBP legacy agency, launched the Container Security Initiative (CSI), one of the most critical parts of the agency’s layered cargo security strategy, in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.
Air and Marine Operations’ Unmanned Aircraft System
U.S. Customs and Border Protection guards nearly 6,000 miles of land border and 95,000 miles of shoreline around the United States. In 2005, CBP began using the MQ-9 Predator B Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) – marking a leap forward in the use of unmanned systems for CBP by further enhancing operational capabilities and increasing domain awareness. The UAS program focuses operations along four CBP mission areas, to include:
Celebrating U.S. Customs 234th Anniversary
July 31, 2023 marks the 234th anniversary of the birth of the U.S. Customs Service and the important role it played in the history of the United States. Since its merger into CBP in 2003, Customs has remained a part of the nation’s heritage and a significant presence in the continuation of CBP’s mission. CBP, a component of the Department of Homeland Security, is today one of the world’s largest law enforcement organizations, with more than 60,000 employees.
The Unveiling of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Valor Memorial
One year after the establishment of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in March 2004, CBP’s Valor Memorial was unveiled at its headquarters in Washington’s Ronald Reagan Building. CBP’s legacy agencies previously had their own memorials. The Valor Memorial is a tangible sign of CBP’s continued commitment to honor the agents, officers and employees who lost their lives in the line of duty.
CBP Office of the Chief Medical Officer Established in 2020
CBP’s Office of the Chief Medical Officer (OCMO) faces an array of operational and workforce medical support requirements and challenges, all of which have increased significantly in scope and scale over the past several years. The recent COVID-19 pandemic brought into sharp relief the vital importance of CBP’s medical efforts, including medical support to operations, the CBP workforce and persons in custody. The office is also critical to migration crisis response and pandemic response efforts.
Witness the Growth and Mission of CBP 20 Years Later
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) celebrates its 20th anniversary. CBP reflects back on 20 years of service and how CBP became one of the world's largest law enforcement organizations with more than 60,000 employees.
CBP is charged with protecting America’s borders and economic security by enforcing immigration and customs laws, interdicting narcotics, and facilitating legitimate travel and trade.
Border Patrol Academy Unified in Artesia
When class session 583 reported to the Border Patrol Basic Academy in Artesia, New Mexico on October 20, 2004, it marked the beginning of a new era in U.S. Border Patrol training history, with operations unified in a single location for the first time in several years. CBP Commissioner Robert C. Bonner dedicated the new operation the next day, commemorating the consolidation of all Border Patrol basic and advanced training into a single, state-of-the-art facility.