Customs and Border Protection ("CBP")
Every year, thousands of foreign nationals travel to the United States by plane, ship, and automobile and seek admission at various ports of entry. U.S. ports of entry include airports, seaports, as well as land border crossings. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”), an agency within the Department of Homeland Security(“DHS”), is responsible for the inspection and admission of all foreign nationals seeking admission into the U.S.
Foreign nationals seeking entry into the United States are inspected at Ports of Entry (POEs) by CBP officers who determine their admissibility. The role of a border officer is to determine the nationality and identity of each applicant for admission and prevent the entry of ineligible foreign nationals, including criminals, terrorists, and drug traffickers, among others. Foreign nationals are questioned and their documents are examined to determine admissibility based on U.S. immigration law.