U.S. Customs and Border Protection

CBP is the United States federal agency responsible for securing the nation's borders while facilitating lawful international travel and trade. Its core functions include enforcing customs laws, collecting import duties and taxes, administering immigration regulations, and preventing the entry of prohibited goods and individuals. The agency operates at land, air, and sea ports of entry across the United States, processing millions of travelers and cargo shipments each year. In addition to inspection activities, CBP oversees programs such as the Automated Commercial Environment for trade processing and the Global Entry trusted traveler initiative.

The agency's work involves extensive use of technology and data collection to support its mission, as illustrated by known incidents. In 2019, a breach affecting a subcontractor exposed traveler photos and license plate data gathered at a single land border crossing over roughly six weeks, impacting fewer than 100,000 individuals. This event highlighted the risks associated with biometric information stored by CBP and prompted a review of data protection practices. Earlier, in 2015, drug traffickers exploited GPS spoofing vulnerabilities in CBP surveillance drones, demonstrating gaps in the agency's counter‑unmanned aircraft defenses and leading to calls for improved anti‑spoofing hardware.

As a component of the Department of Homeland Security, CBP holds a distinct regulatory role as the primary authority for customs enforcement and border security within the United States federal government. Its notable competencies include the integration of law enforcement operations with intelligence analysis, the management of large‑scale inspection infrastructures, and the coordination with other federal, state, local, and tribal partners. While the agency is not a subsidiary of any private entity, it reports directly to the Secretary of Homeland Security and maintains a nationwide workforce stationed at ports of entry and patrol areas.