Spotlights

The focus was on the future at U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s first Trade Facilitation and Cargo Security Summit. Over 3,000 attendees, 1,000 on-site and more than 2,000 virtually, gathered in Anaheim, California, July 18-20, to learn more about CBP’s forward vision in a constantly changing trade environment. It was the first time CBP had hosted an in-person trade event of this magnitude since the pandemic began two-and-a-half years ago. It was also the first time the agency had combined two of its signature events—CBP’s annual trade symposium and the Customs Trade Partnership Against...

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Chris Magnus hosted members of the 16th term Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee, known as COAC, as they gathered on Wednesday, June 29, for their second public meeting at CBP’s Advanced Training Center in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. “I’m grateful to be able to convene this meeting and continue what I think is one of the most important things we can do, which is build relationships with the trade community to improve how we do enforcement, but perhaps even more importantly, facilitation,” said Magnus. The commissioner, a co-chair…

The Border 5/Migration 5 is a partnership between Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K., and the U.S. designed to enhance international cooperation and coordination on border security. U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Information and Technology Assistant Commissioner and Chief Information Officer Sonny Bhagowalia serves as the U.S. delegation head for the CBP B5M5 CIO Tech Forum, which is a subsection of the overall B5M5 engagement focused on technology related to border security and immigration. OIT produced the Technology Strategy FY 2020-FY 2024 document to guide the B5M5…

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Information Technology’s Trusted Partnership Initiative program promotes teamwork across organizational lines, facilitating IT to operate at the speed of mission. Through regular engagement, Trusted Partner Initiative meetings increase partner-driven conversations and lead to more efficient and data-driven decision-making. This collaboration is crucial to meet the needs of a vast and wide-ranging mission and facilitate discussions on possible future requirements and provide delivery of scalable solutions. In 2019, then-Enterprise Services...

As flights streamed out of Kabul International Airport and images of evacuating Americans and Afghan partners flooded screens across the world, the men of women of U.S. Customs and Border Protection were leaping into action to address the developing crisis. CBP employees across all organizations worked together to adapt to the unfolding situation, and the CBP One mobile application team stands as a shining example of the agency’s ability to leverage systems and knowledge to overcome obstacles. CBP One is a mobile application that acts as an intuitive single portal for travelers and...

An unprecedented year. An unprecedented number of losses. An unprecedented amount of grief. This year’s Valor Memorial and Wreath Laying Ceremony at U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., May 12, was an occasion to remember the fallen and share compassion with their loved ones. Thirty-seven CBP employees died in the line of duty during 2021 – the most in one year in the history of the agency and its legacy agencies – and the ceremony looked to recognize not only their ultimate sacrifices, but the sacrifices of the families, friends and colleagues the 37 left...

The candles of thousands of attendees lit up the National Mall in Washington for the 34th Annual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, one of the most moving ceremonies for fallen law enforcement officers during National Police Week. The vigil paid tribute to the 619 officers killed in the line of duty across the nation whose names were added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. The names of 32 law enforcement officers were from U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the agency lost an additional five non-law enforcement members in 2021. “They are individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice…

More than a hundred law enforcement officers and public safety officials, including dozens from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, gathered on Tuesday at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Washington, D.C., for the Archdiocese’s 28th annual Blue Mass. The ceremony, which began outside the cathedral with a solemn, but stirring processional march led by federal, state and local honor guard pipe and drum units, was held to remember the fallen and give thanks to first responders who continue to serve. This year’s Blue Mass returned to its traditional time frame in early May, preceding Police Week...

“It's OK to say you don't know because you're not supposed to know everything. But you must be helpful, “said U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Mission Support Specialist Anna Cruz. Cruz is responsible for providing support, guidance, and expertise for the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), Investigative Operations Division, in Los Angeles Mission Support Specialists perform their work in a multitude of different settings supporting CBP’s officers and agents across the country and overseas. Cruz supports CBP’s special agents who are critical to ensuring CBP safeguards and...

A spirit of cooperation was the prevailing mood when members of the new 16th term Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee, known as COAC, gathered last week in Washington, D.C., for their first public meeting with U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Chris Magnus. The meeting, held on March 31, was also the first time that the trade advisory group had gathered in person since the start of the pandemic. For the past two years, the committee’s public meetings were held virtually. “It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to have this kind of gathering, a meeting ‘in real…