WASHINGTON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection today outlined its successful 2022 efforts to enhance trade, improve the traveler experience, and strengthen our nation’s borders through a wide array of initiatives and improvements that allow us to better serve the public and fulfill our CBP mission.
“The men and women of CBP work tirelessly to secure our borders and identify those who wish to do us harm, facilitate travel and trade, stop the flow of illicit drugs and other contraband, combat forced labor, and rescue and assist those in distress,” said Acting CBP Commissioner Troy A. Miller. “Leaning into technology, we have reduced processing times for trucks from minutes down to seconds, integrated a touchless facial biometric entry process at all U.S. airports, and expanded the use of mobile passport and customs inspections. We are also using technology to handle the increased volume of migrants encountered, allowing us to become more efficient, be a force multiplier for our workforce, and cover areas we could not cover before. I could not be prouder of their dedication, innovation and perseverance during the past year.”
In 2022, CBP achieved the following highlights and successes:
Enhancing Border Security
U.S. Border Patrol enhancements: Through innovation and increased efficiencies, such as digital processing and electronic A-files, mobile processing, renovated central processing centers and new soft-sided facilities, increased efforts on virtual processing, coordination with partner agencies and governments, and the hiring of Border Patrol Processing Coordinators, we are returning many Border Patrol agents to the field to perform their essential law enforcement and national security mission. In particular, CBP has nearly 900 new processing coordinators already on board, with more than 200 cleared to start or currently in the academy.
Border Patrol has also made substantial investments in autonomous technologies that improve agent safety and efficacy. Examples include additional Autonomous Surveillance Towers, next generation communications solutions, and continuing to equip the workforce with body worn cameras. In addition, CBP’s Innovation Team transitioned counter-unmanned aerial systems technologies to the Border Patrol for the detection of illicit cross-border activity of small unmanned aerial systems to compliment the rest of their counter-unmanned aerial system capabilities.
Border barrier improvements: Border Patrol has closed 55 gates and gaps to date and are working on executing the completion of an additional 74 gates and gaps along with life, safety, environmental and other remediation activities at incomplete border barrier projects. 129 gaps and gates have been approved by DHS for closure, of which 55 have been closed to date.
National Agricultural Cargo Targeting Unit operations: CBP’s National Agriculture Cargo Targeting Unit developed and deployed a total of seven intelligence reporting products to improve port of entry targeting operations and strengthening frontline agriculture threat information awareness. Furthermore, NACTU led and conducted seven targeting special operations to enhance interdictions and assist in gauging agricultural risk at ports of entry for exclusion efforts of plant pests and foreign animal diseases.
Criminal arrests increased: After encountering a non-citizen at the border, Border Patrol agents collect biometric and biographic information and run a background check to identify criminals or those who pose a public safety risk. In FY 2022, Border Patrol encountered 12,028 individuals with prior criminal convictions, an 11.7% increase from FY 2021. While encounters of non-citizen criminals represent a small subset of the overall U.S. Border Patrol encounters (approximately 0.5% in FY 2022), their apprehension underscores the importance of the critical work CBP’s agents carry out on a daily basis to vet all individuals encountered at our borders.
Fentanyl seizures up dramatically: Fentanyl is an incredibly dangerous drug, one that we did not see 10 years ago, and one that is incredibly potent in even very small amounts. CBP continues to seize more fentanyl each year. Fentanyl seizures at our ports of entry have increased over 200% in the last two fiscal years compared to the two prior fiscal years. CBP seized over 24,000 pounds of fentanyl in the last two fiscal years, representing billions of lethal doses.
- FY 2022: 14,699 pounds
- FY 2021: 11,201 pounds
- FY 2020: 4,791 pounds
- FY 2019: 2,545 pounds
Overall, CBP officers, Border Patrol agents, and Air and Marine Operations agents continue to interdict the flow of illicit narcotics across the border. Nationwide, CBP drug seizures totaled nearly 656,000 pounds in FY22, including the following:
- Cocaine seizures: 70,293 pounds
- Methamphetamine: 175,410 pounds
- Heroin seizures: 1,871 pounds
Humanitarian Efforts
CBP rescues increased dramatically: Smuggling organizations are abandoning migrants in remote and dangerous areas, leading to a dramatic rise in the number of rescues CBP performs. In FY 2022, CBP conducted nearly 22,500 rescues nationwide, which is 69% higher than the total number of rescues in all of 2021.
CBP welcomes Ukrainians through Uniting for Ukraine: On April 21, 2022, President Biden announced Uniting for Ukraine, a new streamlined process to provide Ukrainian citizens who have fled Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression opportunities to come to the United States. This represents a key step toward fulfilling the President’s commitment to welcome Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Uniting for Ukraine uilds on the robust humanitarian assistance the U.S. government is providing as we complement the generosity of countries throughout Europe that are hosting millions of Ukrainian citizens and others who have been displaced. Since the implementation of the Uniting for Ukraine process, the United States has welcomed more than 62,000 displaced Ukrainian citizens.
CBP launches new heat mitigation effort to advance humanitarian mission: New Heat Stress Kits/Go-Bags containing helpful items to mitigate potential heat stress injuries and illnesses for agents and migrants alike were deployed to 500 agents operating in the Tucson Sector as temperatures rose during the hottest part of the summer. The new effort included conducting a feasibility study to provide valuable insights into the usability of the Go-Bags and how best to scale up across all other sectors along the southwest border.
Improving Traveler Experience
CBP eased COVID-19 travel restrictions: CBP’s Office of Field Operations implemented eased COVID-19 travel restrictions, consistent with public health guidance, at the nation’s land border Ports of Entry. OFO executed these modifications to sustainably implement resumption of travel while strengthening the nation's economy and protecting the health and safety of the American public. This shift eased long-standing restrictions on non-essential travel, consistent with public health guidance modifications to border travel restrictions, resulting in a 51% increase in traveler arrivals at our land Ports of Entry.
Mobile Passport Control available for use at Canadian preclearance locations: CBP expanded the Mobile Passport Control program to include the Montreal and Toronto Preclearance locations. The program further expanded to Vancouver later in the year, bringing MPC availability to 38 air and seaport locations. The MPC mobile app, available to U.S. citizens and Canadian B1/B2 visitors, allows travelers to submit their passport and travel information using a mobile device and will enable them to store their information so it will be readily available for future international travel. This results in less congestion and more efficient processing.
Simplified Arrival expands to all U.S. airports: Biometric facial comparison technology is now available at all international airports across the United States to further secure and streamline international travel. This innovation effort is a critical milestone for the biometric Entry/Exit program and complements biometric boarding, which is currently at select departure locations. Simplified Arrival is an enhanced international arrival process that uses facial biometrics to automate the manual document checks that are already required for admission into the United States. This process provides travelers with a secure, more touchless travel experience while fulfilling a longstanding Congressional mandate to biometrically record the entry and exit of non-U.S. citizens. In addition, foreign travelers who have traveled to the United States previously may no longer need to provide fingerprints, as their identity will be confirmed through the touchless facial biometric process.
CBP surpasses 10 million TTP members: The Trusted Traveler Programs topped 10 million total members in March 2022 and received 3.7 million applications for the fiscal year, the most the program has ever received annually. Nearly 8 million of these memberships are part of the Global Entry program, which is available at 61 U.S. airports and 15 international preclearance locations. A portion of the membership is also made up of citizens from the program’s 13 partner countries.
U.S. NEXUS/FAST enrollment centers reopen: Following extended COVID-19-related closures, CBP reopened the NEXUS and U.S./Canada FAST enrollment centers in the United States. NEXUS is a CBP program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk Canadian travelers upon arrival in the United States, while FAST allows expedited clearance into the United States for pre-approved, low-risk commercial drivers from Mexico and Canada.
CBP expands Global Entry reach with agreements with Dominican Republic and Brazil: CBP signed a memorandum of understanding formally initiating negotiations to include the Dominican Republic among the Global Entry foreign partner countries, an initiative that expedites entry procedures to U.S. territory. CBP also launched a full Global Entry arrangement with the Government of Brazil, which comes after a more limited pilot launched in November 2019 and will increase the number of Brazilian citizens eligible for Global Entry.
Enhancing Trade
Steady uptick in trade: In FY 2022, CBP processed 39.1 million entries valued at over $3.35 trillion – a 19.46% increase from FY 2021. The agency also collected approximately $104.6 billion in duties, a 22.42% increase over FY 2021. Overall, CBP collected approximately $111.9 billion in duties, taxes and other fees on behalf of the U.S. government in FY 2022, representing a 117% increase over a five-year period demonstrating the steady uptick in trade over this period. In FY 2022, trade via the ocean environment accounted for 40.60% of the total import value, followed by air, truck, and rail.
Implementation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act: CBP is a global leader in the prevention of forced labor, as it is one of the few government agencies in the world granted legal authority to take enforcement action against imported goods sourced from entities using forced labor to produce them. In 2022, CBP gained a new tool in its arsenal to combat forced labor with the passage of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. The UFLPA prohibits importation into the United States of any product or any part of a product that is mined, produced, or manufactured, either wholly or partially, in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People’s Republic of China due to the well documented and systemic use of forced labor by the Chinese Government against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities there. In FY 2022, CBP stopped 3,605 shipments valued at $816.5 million for forced labor concerns, including 1,592 entries valued at nearly $500 million stopped under the UFLPA.
Truck Manifest Modernization completed: CBP fully implemented the Truck Manifest Modernization in the Automated Commercial Environment. TMM allows for seamless integration between CBP systems for non-intrusive inspection, passenger processing, targeting, examination findings, and commercial processing. TMM was deployed in a phased approached and fully implemented nationwide on June 26, 2022. Today, more than 99% of the 45,000-50,000 trucks released daily clear primary processing in less than 30 seconds. Before TMM, less than 40% of truck manifests did so.
CBP announces launch of Green Trade Strategy: The Green Trade Strategy is a framework to incentivize green trade, strengthen CBP’s environmental enforcement posture, accelerate green innovation, and improve climate resilience and resource efficiency. The strategy establishes a proactive model to combat the negative impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on the agency’s trade mission while strengthening existing enforcement activities against environmental trade crimes, including illegal logging; wildlife trafficking; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; and illegal mining. It also defines goals for environmentally sustainable trade policies, programs, and infrastructure within the agency.
Strengthening the Supply Chain
Global Business Identifier pilot created to increase supply chain visibility: Through a partnership with 13 government agencies, the Global Business Identifier pilot program will test the concept of a single business identifier solution to improve the U.S. government’s ability to efficiently identify high-risk shipments and facilitate legitimate trade. Through the GBI Evaluative Proof of Concept, volunteers from the trade community will provide CBP with entity identifier codes, used widely in various industries, to allow more comprehensive insight into shipper, seller, and manufacturer data.
CBP strengthens ability to track and clear trade more efficiently: The Entry Summary Findings application replaced the legacy Automated Commercial Environment system for recordation of entry summary reviews. This modernized system helps CBP to effectively track statuses and clear trade in a more efficient manner. The retooled workflows in Entry Summary Findings save the government and the trade community time and money by reducing inputs, increasing operability to other data systems, and allowing CBP to better prioritize the pending worklog.
Operation Fly Formula transported infant formula into U.S.: CBP collaborated with the Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration to execute Operation Fly Formula. By September 2022, Operation Fly Formula transported more than 92 million 8-ounce equivalents of infant formula to the U.S.
CBP publishes modernized Customs Broker Regulations: The changes modernize customs broker operations by aligning regulations with contemporary business practices, allowing for greater efficiency in the customs broker process.
CBP signs agreements with Uruguay, Guatemala, Colombia and Brazil to coordinate supply chain security: CBP signed a Mutual Recognition Arrangement with the Customs Administration of Uruguay in 2022 and also signed a Joint Work Plan with the customs administrations of Guatemala and Colombia at the Trade Facilitation and Cargo Security Summit. Separately, CBP and Brazil’s Customs Authority Receita Federal signed an Authorized Economic Operator Mutual Recognition Arrangement. This MRA builds on other agreements between CBP and the Government of Brazil and ensures coordination for each nation’s supply chain security as well as efforts in combating customs and trade offenses.
MRAs are bilateral understandings between two customs administrations that provide a platform for the exchange of membership information and recognize the compatibility of the respective supply chain security program. A JWP is a document that lays out the path towards MR between the two customs administration’s Authorized Economic Operator programs. A JWP shows commitment from both programs, requires high level support, and lays out detailed steps towards MRA. At the completion of a JWP, both customs administrations will determine if an MRA is feasible and should be pursued.
Strengthening the CBP Workforce
CBP increases recruitment incentive for Border Patrol agents: The recruitment incentive rose to up to $20,000 for newly appointed Border Patrol Agent applicants who meet the requirements of the recruitment incentive and enter duty after November 9, 2022.
CBP commits to 30x30 Initiative: CBP pledged its support to the 30x30 Initiative, a coalition of law enforcement leaders, researchers and professional organizations who have joined together to advance the representation and experiences of women in all ranks of policing across the United States. By pledging CBP to an initiative aimed at increasing the ranks of women in law enforcement agencies to 30% by the year 2030, CBP will make strides in achieving its goal to increase the number of women within its law enforcement ranks.
Border Patrol agent entrance exam now available online: The Patrol Agent Entrance Exam will now have an online option. Applicants at GS-7 level are now able to take the Logical Reasoning section of the exam either online or at a local testing center.