The Customs and Border Protection, hereafter “CBP”, (formerly referred to as the Border Patrol) is a federal law enforcement agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The CBP is the country’s largest and first border control organization.
Its primary responsibility is to prevent people from entering the country illegally. Other duties of the CBP is to prevent the transfer of harmful or illegal items onto U.S. soil, meet travelers and returning residents arriving at U.S. airports and border posts, checking visas and all type of admission documents, deciding whether individuals are allowed into the United States territory, or order the immediate return home to visitors/travelers seeking such entry. Also, the CBP is charged with regulating international trade, collecting import duties and enforcing customs, trade and immigration regulations.
CBP provides security and facilitation operations at 328 ports of entry throughout the country, to see the locations of such ports, visit: https://www.cbp.gov/.
[Last updated in February of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]