CBP at Laredo Field Office Ports of Entry Maintains Enforcement Posture, Offers Traveler Tips Ahead of Tax-Free Weekend
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Aug 10, 2019, 0 Comments
Courtesy Richard Pauza,
LAREDO, TEXAS — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) at eight ports of entry from Brownsville to Del Rio continues to maintain its commitment to uphold its border security mission while offering traveler tips ahead of expected heavy traffic for tax-free weekend.
“Our CBP officers and agriculture specialists form the nation’s frontline of defense against all threats arriving at our South Texas ports of entry,” said Director of Field Operations, David P. Higgerson, Laredo Field Office. “As they continue to maintain a vigilant border security posture, our priority remains the safety and security of the American people, international travelers, and our communities while facilitating legitimate travel and trade during this tax-free weekend.”
CBP at the South Texas ports of entry implements a variety of effective measures to facilitate a smooth, orderly traffic flow, including Ready Lanes, trusted traveler programs such as Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) and offers front of the line privileges for those who have applied for their tourist permits (eI94) electronically.
CBP strongly encourages travelers to obtain and utilize radio-frequency identification technology (RFID)-equipped travel documents such as U.S. passport cards and the newer versions (i.e. since 2011) of the border crossing card and resident alien card so that they can utilize Ready Lanes. Processing in Ready Lanes is 20 percent faster than normal lanes and provide a time savings of up to 20 seconds per vehicle. Those who have renewed their entry documents within the last 24 months already have radiofrequency identification enabled documents (RFID) and may not know it. CBP encourages travelers to obtain RFID-enabled entry documents to use Ready Lanes and enroll in trusted traveler programs like SENTRI.
Members of the traveling public can monitor Border Wait Times via this link or also obtain the BWT app on their smartphone via Apple App Store and Google Play so that they can observe the wait times and make an informed decision on which bridge to use. These wait times are updated on an hourly basis.
Also to avoid any potential delays or fines due to travelers bringing prohibited/restricted agricultural items, CBP encourages travelers to declare all agricultural items to a CBP officer upon arrival and before making their journey to consult the Know Before You Go guide at the following link.
