Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism Research Paper

In our past history, The United States Customs and border officials have been focused on relatively common matters of enforcing laws regarding trade and immigration, watching over agriculture and economic interests from pest and disease, and processing people, vehicles and goods. After the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, the primary concern was the homeland security. The threat of terrorists and terrorist tools coming through our borders all add to an increased set of dangers to The United States. Is it the responsibility of our United States Military to defend our country from these threats? The following myths are often understood as true, when in fact they are not.

Customs and Border Patrol have the authority to carry out searches on any vehicle, beast, person or container for cargo that is subject to U.S. duties, or whose importation is outlawed. Customs and Border Patrol agents are also authorized to search Aliens for contraband and have arresting authority. (Kim 2009, 5)

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection also known as CBP is one of the largest and most complex agencies with the Department of Homeland Security. They have many duties and responsibilities to do to protect the United States of America. They

Border Patrol and U.S. CustomsBoth Border Patrol and U.S. Customs work together under the same agency, and worktowards the same goal, yet they perform their duty tasks differently. Protecting the nationsborders from drug smuggling, human trafficking, and terrorism is not an easy task to perform.Border Patrol agents and U.S. Customs officers perform this risky task on the front line of ourcountry by putting their lives in danger on a daily basis. Although Border Patrol (BP), and U.S.Customs and Border Protection (CBP) differ in work location, and work duties they also sharevarious similarities in pay, benefits, and outcome.The officers working as CBP and agentsworking as BP risk their lives at their work of duty, and they both work towards the

US Custom Border Protection (CBP) is an agency/department of The Department of Homeland Security that perform inspections in border and ports of entry. CBP officers and agents welcome all legitimate travelers and trade while preventing the entry of terrorists and their weapons. CBP law enforcement professionals enforce U.S. law, stopping narcotics, agricultural pests and smuggled goods from entering the country. They also identify and arrest travelers

By placing the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), immigration is considered a national security issue by default. Whether or not the issue is treated seriously is up for debate, as the situation constantly is an issue in media and in political campaigns. However, border fences have been increased as well and the amount of agents with CBP (Andreas, 2009).

The U.S. Customs and Borders agents are in several agencies that use different systems. They are in Customs, the Coast Guard, Customs Service, and import specialists, or inspectors.

There are many challenges faced by US Customs and Border Protection agents who are attempting to secure our nations border, including their range of operation and the rules and circumstances around border searches. Agents are only allowed to operate on the border or what is called the functional equivalent of the border, which is "generally the first practical detention point after a border crossing or the final port-of-entry"

United States Border Patrol has been around since 1904 enforcing and regulating laws under the immigration and Nationality Act. U.S. border patrol is now under the Department of Homeland Security, which was created as a response to the attacks of September 11, 2001. Over the years, their jurisdiction and missions have changed to better protect the safety of nation. Although border patrol is a need for any nation, their extensive acceptations to constitutional laws can often be taken advantage of. The mission of the U.S. border patrol should be to prevent illegal aliens, which are a threat to American society, from reaching their purpose. Frequently, their purpose can be confused or executed in a bias manner.

U.S Customs and Border Protection has also been in charge in keeping terrorist and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S laws (Peak, 2009, Pg. 164). Consequently, immigrants have been victims of human trafficking. According to Larry K. Gaines from the textbook Criminal Justice in Action, U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has played an important role in focusing the nation’s borders. Their mission is to detain illegal aliens and deport them to their country, and disrupting trafficking operations. In 2008, ICE removed about

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (U.S. CBP) is one of the oldest law enforcement entities in the U.S., and has a rich history of protecting our borders. A historical overview and understanding of the U.S. Customs origins displays how over the centuries the strategic mission of the CBP has evolved to combat threats of specific time eras. U.S. Customs has grown from collecting of revenue during the 1800s to fighting the War on Drugs, and well into the 21st century where combating terrorism would be yet another mission undertaken by CBP. Without a doubt, the U.S. Customs Service has played an active role in the protection of the nation’s borders against terrorism, criminal drug lords, and even the violation of intellectual property theft.

Every day the U.S. border patrol has to constantly keep an eye out for the smuggling of drugs by Mexican Cartels. There has been much violence due to this drug problem that has left many people near the border killed and is allowing more criminals to obtain these weapons. A lot of this attention goes to the U.S. because many of the weapons utilized in the “drug war” are U.S. made and is interfering with trading relations amongst both the U.S. and Mexico. With this current violent situation in Mexico this has transformed the flow of weapons to an even larger scale.

The Australian Customs and Border Protection team has a control framework in order to account for detained goods during their transfer, release or destruction. Since 2009, Customs and Border Protection has required the use of tamper‐evident seals to more efficiently manage detained goods, while maintaining accountability. These seals are designed to identify potential interference with goods. It also means that Customs and Border Protection does not need to regularly re‐check the contents of the packages, providing efficiencies for the agency.

Being the world 's largest economy, the United States is also largest exporter and importer of goods and services. American economic growth relies heavily on trade. According to a recent report on NAFTA, “Since 1992, nearly 20 million new jobs have been created in the U.S., in part due to the 1994 NAFTA agreement. Total trade between the NAFTA partners -- the U.S., Canada, and Mexico -- rose from $293 billion in 1993 to more than $475 billion in 1997, and has increased since. ” (Bowman, Free Trade). It is obvious evidence that international trade is beneficial to the US economy, at least in the 1990s.

Companies who elect to participate will undergo a C-TPAT validation, which is not a Customs audit, but a process under which Customs meets with company representatives and potentially visits selected domestic and foreign sites to examine the company's security profile to verify that specific supply chain security measures are accurate and are being followed. Through the program, Customs envisions enhancing partnerships, sharing "best practices," and cooperatively developing solutions to potential vulnerabilities, to enhance overall border security against international terrorism.