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Federal Manager's Daily Report

New foreign travel reporting requirements for america’s elite and secured workforce.

Recent reform of facilities clearance regulations now demands more of the corporate facilities security officer (FSO). On February 24, 2021, the NISPOM Rule was codified in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). In addition to adding the NISPOM to the CFR, this rule codifies provisions of Security Executive Agent Directive (SEAD) 3, “Reporting Requirements for Personnel with Access to Classified Information or Who Hold a Sensitive Position.”

With this shift comes the adoption of new criteria for what information cleared industry personnel must report. According to these rules, individuals must disclose information about their international travel, finances, personal relationships, and other circumstances. Previously, these were not required to be reported, but some organizations may have enforced them internally.

These specifications are taken directly from SEAD 3, which, up until this point, only applied to government workers by way of NISPOM. Now, employees in the private industry will be held to the same standards as those in the government sector.

The newly beefed-up Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) pushed the reform to report foreign travel as required by SEAD 3. New IT tools were supplied, and the capability to submit bulk foreign travel went “live” on August 24, 2022. So as of August 24, 2022, all federal contracting employees holding a  personnel clearance (security clearance or “PCL”)  must  report any foreign travel  to their Facility Security Officers (FSOs).

While the goal of these changes is to help cleared workers self-enforce security standards, the Defense Department has acknowledged the challenges for cleared individuals in submitting the new reports in the system of records (Defense Information System for Security [DISS]) across a counterintelligence dataset of over one million employees working for 12,000 cleared facilities. Foreign intelligence services could be active in any of those facilities, including yours, at this very moment.

When Contemplating Travel Abroad All security clearance holders are required by Security Executive Agent Directive (SEAD) 3 to report international travel prior to departure. In addition to pre-approval, individuals must disclose their travel schedule to their security officer and should attend a pre-travel security briefing.

When a clearance holder contemplates traveling abroad, an email must be sent to the FSO at least 10 business days before departure. Corporate leadership may require longer notice from the planned travel date, but it is generally advisable to notify leadership at least two weeks in advance of the planned travel date. In this email, it is important to not only include where you will be traveling but also the timeframe in which you will be in foreign countries.

Upon receiving this email, FSO will usually send employees a corporate form to collect some further information required by SEAD 3. Along with the forms, they will also send over any state department travel advisories covering the destination countries.

Our recommendation to Tully Rinckey’s clients is the same as for the secured reader: a regular practice of all prudently cleared corporate executives and their employees is the maintenance of a spreadsheet of all foreign travel, listing the essential data points of travel. This will help in reporting before and after the movement, as well as when required to submit the Standard Form 86, Questionnaire for National Security. Yes, this is onerous, especially in a networked global economy, but it is a transaction cost now required of an elite and secured workforce.

Filing Corporate Forms When presented with these corporate forms, there are a few key things employees should include. Along with what was stated above—travel destination and dates—employees will also need to include a full itinerary and their United States and/or foreign (if a dual citizen) passport information. Additionally, the FSO will arrange an employee travel safety briefing prior to departure. It is advisable to include the safety information in the briefing as part of the corporate form filing. After the employee completes the corporate form and returns it to their FSO, they are ready to travel.

One additional precaution an employee might wish to take is to sign the form, so as to remove any doubt of an FSO doing “batch compiling” to pass an inspection.

Following the completion of these pre-travel forms, the FSO will open the subject’s profile in DISS and create a foreign travel report, entering the dates the clearance holder will travel, the date they first reported their travel, the reason for travel, and any other notes, such as mode of transportation and other relevant information. After the FSO makes this initial entry, the file is formed, and updates can be made as changes come in or when the debrief is completed.

Post Trip Debriefing Once the clearance-holding employee returns from their trip abroad, the FSO conducts a foreign travel debrief within five (5) business days. If the employee answers “no” to all these questions, they have fulfilled their federal responsibilities for reporting foreign travel.

However, if they answer “yes” to any of the questions asked, the clearance holder will need to provide further information. These follow-up questions are intended to ensure the FSO conducts due diligence in the reporting process. Once the employee completes this form, they sign it and return it to the FSO.

After the employee returns and completes their foreign travel briefing, the FSO will put any further relevant information in DISS and then mark the report as “debriefed.” Once a travel report is marked, the file will be unavailable while it is reviewed.

This report will eventually reappear, and the FSO will need to maintain a physical record of the pre-travel form that the debriefing employees fill out in case they need to access it before the report is accessible within DISS. This record can be maintained for as long as the employee remains at the company.

Stay Up to Date on Reporting the Reporting Process While the new reporting requirements will likely cause confusion for a number of years and may even push some PCL holders into adjudication as a security concern based on non-compliance, by staying on top of what your agency’s reporting requirements are, you can best protect your travel plans and your security clearance.

Dan Meyer, Managing Partner of Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Washington, D.C. office, has dedicated more than 25 years of service to the field of federal employment and national security law as both a practicing attorney and federal investigator and senior executive. He is a leader in advocating for service members, federal civilian employees, and contractors as they fight to retain their credentialing, suitability, and security clearances. Lachlan McKinion supports the needs of TR’s corporate national security clientele. Mr. Meyer can be reached at [email protected] or at (888) 529-4543.

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NEWS + ADVICE

New foreign travel reporting requirements for clearance holders.

Recent reform of facilities clearance regulations now demands more of the corporate facilities security officer (FSO). On February 24, 2021, the NISPOM Rule was codified in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). In addition to adding the NISPOM to the CFR, this rule codifies provisions of Security Executive Agent Directive (SEAD) 3, “Reporting Requirements for Personnel with Access to Classified Information or Who Hold a Sensitive Position.”

With this shift comes the adoption of new criteria for what information cleared industry personnel must report . According to these rules, individuals must disclose information about their international travel , finances, personal relationships, and other circumstances. Previously, these were not required to be reported, but some organizations may have enforced them internally.

These specifications are taken directly from SEAD 3, which, up until this point, only applied to government workers by way of NISPOM. Now, employees in the private industry will be held to the same standards as those in the government sector.

The newly beefed-up Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) pushed the reform to report foreign travel as required by SEAD 3. New IT tools were supplied, and the capability to submit bulk foreign travel went “live” on August 24, 2022. So as of August 24, 2022, all federal contracting employees holding a  personnel clearance (security clearance or “PCL”)  must  report any foreign travel  to their Facility Security Officers (FSOs).

While the goal of these changes is to help cleared workers self-enforce security standards, the Defense Department has acknowledged the challenges for cleared individuals in submitting the new reports in the system of records (Defense Information System for Security [DISS]) across a counterintelligence dataset of over one million employees working for 12,000 cleared facilities. Foreign intelligence services could be active in any of those facilities, including yours, at this very moment.

When Contemplating Travel Abroad

All security clearance holders are required by Security Executive Agent Directive (SEAD) 3 to report international travel prior to departure. Note that United States possessions and commonwealths are not foreign travel and do not require reporting. In addition to pre-approval, individuals must disclose their travel schedule to their security officer and should attend a pre-travel security briefing.

When a clearance holder contemplates traveling abroad, an email must be sent to the FSO at least 10 business days before departure. Call your FSO immediately if an emergency or last-minute trip requires you to depart in just a couple days. Note the urgency and follow his or her guidance in that situation. Corporate leadership may require longer notice from the planned travel date, but it is generally advisable to notify leadership at least two weeks in advance of the planned travel date. In this email, it is important to not only include where you will be traveling but also the timeframe in which you will be in foreign countries.

Upon receiving this email, FSO will usually send employees a corporate form to collect some further information required by SEAD 3. Along with the forms, they will also send over any state department travel advisories covering the destination countries.

Our recommendation to Tully Rinckey’s clients is the same as for the secured reader: a regular practice of all prudently cleared corporate executives and their employees is the maintenance of a spreadsheet of all foreign travel, listing the essential data points of travel. This will help in reporting before and after the movement, as well as when required to submit the Standard Form 86, Questionnaire for National Security. Yes, this is onerous, especially in a networked global economy, but it is a transaction cost now required of an elite and secured workforce.

Filing Corporate Forms

When presented with these corporate forms, there are a few key things employees should include. Along with what was stated above—travel destination and dates—employees will also need to include a full itinerary and their United States and/or foreign (if a dual citizen) passport information. Additionally, the FSO will arrange an employee travel safety briefing prior to departure. It is advisable to include the safety information in the briefing as part of the corporate form filing. After the employee completes the corporate form and returns it to their FSO, they are ready to travel.

One additional precaution an employee might wish to take is to sign the form, so as to remove any doubt of an FSO doing “batch compiling” to pass an inspection.

Following the completion of these pre-travel forms, the FSO will open the subject’s profile in DISS and create a foreign travel report, entering the dates the clearance holder will travel, the date they first reported their travel, the reason for travel, and any other notes, such as mode of transportation and other relevant information. After the FSO makes this initial entry, the file is formed, and updates can be made as changes come in or when the debrief is completed.

Post Trip Debriefing

Once the clearance-holding employee returns from their trip abroad, the FSO conducts a foreign travel debrief within five (5) business days. If the employee answers “no” to all these questions, they have fulfilled their federal responsibilities for reporting foreign travel.

However, if they answer “yes” to any of the questions asked, the clearance holder will need to provide further information. These follow-up questions are intended to ensure the FSO conducts due diligence in the reporting process. Once the employee completes this form, they sign it and return it to the FSO.

After the employee returns and completes their foreign travel briefing, the FSO will put any further relevant information in DISS and then mark the report as “debriefed.” Once a travel report is marked, the file will be unavailable while it is reviewed.

This report will eventually reappear, and the FSO will need to maintain a physical record of the pre-travel form that the debriefing employees fill out in case they need to access it before the report is accessible within DISS. This record can be maintained for as long as the employee remains at the company.

Stay Up to Date on the Reporting Process

While the new reporting requirements will likely cause confusion for a number of years and may even push some PCL holders into adjudication as a security concern based on non-compliance, by staying on top of what your agency’s reporting requirements are, you can best protect your travel plans and your security clearance.

Find more articles about safeguarding your  security clearance  here.

Dan Meyer, Managing Partner of Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Washington, D.C. office, has dedicated more than 25 years of service to the field of federal employment and national security law as both a practicing attorney and federal investigator and senior executive. He is a leader in advocating for service members, federal civilian employees, and contractors as they fight to retain their credentialing, suitability, and security clearances. Lachlan McKinion supports the needs of TR’s corporate national security clientele. Mr. Meyer can be reached at [email protected] or at (888) 529-4543.

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Clearance Self-Reporting: General Requirements

All holders of a security clearance must keep their security office informed about anything that might have a bearing on their continued eligibility for access to classified information or that might signal an increased vulnerability to foreign intelligence targeting. Your cooperation in doing so is an important part of the "continuing evaluation" process.

The kinds of information that must be reported by all cleared personnel are described below. Personnel cleared for access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) or selected Special Access Programs (SAPs) may have additional requirements.

Related:   Search for Security Clearance jobs .

Change in Personal Status:  Changes in marital status, cohabitation, and change of name must be reported. Special requirements may apply if an intended spouse or partner is a foreign national.

If you are approved for access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) or are employed in certain Special Access Programs (SAPs), intent to marry or cohabitate must be reported well in advance to allow time for security clearance of intended partner.

Foreign Travel:  Whether you are traveling on business or pleasure, foreign travel plans should usually be reported to your security office in advance of your travel. Your security office can provide the latest State Department advisories on hazardous conditions, identify any known security concerns regarding the areas where you will be traveling or organizations you will be dealing with, and provide general information on security risks during foreign travel.

You are  required  to report foreign travel plans to your security office under the following circumstances:

• If you are in the US military or a civilian employee of the Department of Defense traveling on orders, you are required to receive an antiterrorism briefing prior to departure. If you are in the military, you are required to receive an antiterrorism briefing even if you are traveling on personal leave, and even if the travel is only to Canada or Mexico.
• If you are approved for access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) or selected Special Access Programs (SAPs), you have additional requirements relating to foreign travel. Your security office should be advised well in advance of your departure, if possible.

Risks During Foreign Travel provides threat awareness information for foreign travelers but necessarily deals with those general threats that apply broadly to many countries. Specific criminal, terrorist, and intelligence threats differ greatly from one country to another and are changing constantly. Before traveling, you should have the most current information pertaining to the countries you will be visiting.

Related:  Does your resume pass the 6-second test?  Get a FREE assessment .

Following your trip, complete any required post-foreign travel forms and report any unusual incidents that occurred during your travel.

Foreign Contacts:  All cleared personnel must report contacts with individuals of any foreign nationality, either within or outside the scope of their official activities, in which:

• "Illegal or unauthorized access is sought to classified or otherwise sensitive information.
• The employee is concerned that he/she may be the target of actual or attempted exploitation by a foreign entity."

Persons approved for access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and selected Special Access Programs (SAPs) have additional reporting requirements as discussed in  Reporting Foreign Contacts .

A problem often arises in trying to follow policy on reporting foreign contacts. Many people do not recognize they are a target until the assessment and development process is quite far advanced. It is difficult to know when a foreign national who establishes friendly contact with you has an ulterior motive.

Financial Problems:  Serious financial difficulties must be reported. This includes filing for bankruptcy, garnishment of wages, having a lien placed upon your property for failing to pay a creditor, or eviction from a residence for failure to pay rent. One reason for requiring that these financial problems be reported is to assist you in obtaining appropriate financial counseling.

Arrests:  If you are arrested for any reason, this must be reported regardless of whether or not you were convicted or charges were dropped for lack of evidence. Minor traffic violations are the only exception to this reporting requirement. Some organizations define a minor violation as one for which the penalty is a fine of $150 or less.

Other Involvement With the Legal System:  Any other involvement in legal or court proceedings should be reported if a) you are the target of the legal action, such as if you are sued for any reason, or b) if there is any possibility you might be required to discuss your job or organization under oath.

Psychological or Substance Abuse Counseling:  When counseling is needed, you are encouraged to seek assistance from your employer-sponsored Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or other counseling service. Counseling is private and need not be reported if you sought the counseling on your own initiative. Counseling must be reported if you were advised to seek counseling owing to your work performance or other undesirable behavior.

Outside Activities:  Any planned or actual outside employment or volunteer activity that could create a real or apparent conflict with one's responsibility to protect classified information must be reported to the security office.

Media Contacts:  Any media inquiries about your job or organization should be reported. Ongoing personal contacts with media representatives who cover your organization or your subject area specialty should be cleared with security.

Pre-Publication Review:  Any technical paper, book, magazine article, or newspaper article that you prepare for publication or for posting on the Internet, or lecture or speech that you prepare to give, must be cleared in advance if it contains information or knowledge you gained during your current or any previous classified job.

Please note that the resume you prepare when seeking another job may also come under this requirement. For some scientific or technical personnel working on Special Access Programs, an employee's resume may inadvertently reveal the existence or direction of the program.

Loss or Compromise of Information:  If you inadvertently or accidentally lose or compromise classified or other sensitive information, this must be reported.

Related:   For the latest veteran jobs postings around the country, visit the  Military.com Job Search section .

The Next Step: Find the Right Veteran Job

Whether you want to polish up your resume, find veteran job fairs in your area, or connect with employers looking to hire veterans, Military.com can help.  Sign up for a free Military.com membership  to have job postings, guides and advice, and more delivered directly to your inbox.

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How Do You Report Foreign Travel?

August 16, 2022

Meeting the 32 CFR Foreign Travel Reporting Requirements

All employees holding a Personnel Clearance (PCL) must report any foreign travel to their Facility Security Officers (FSOs) as of Aug. 24, 2022. This is part of the change from the old National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) to the 32 CFR Part 117, NISPOM that occurred in February 2021. With this new requirement, it’s important that cleared employees and FSOs are familiar with the process to report foreign travel.

How Employees Report

When a cleared employee plans to travel abroad, they need to email their FSO at least 10 business days before they leave. Some companies may require notice further out from the planned travel. This email should include where they’re traveling to and the dates they’ll be there. Once the FSO receives this, they will send the employee a form to collect further information required by Security Agent Directive 3 (SEAD 3) and look up any travel advisories from the Department of State to share with them.

This form will ask for information including the employee’s full itinerary and passport information. The employee will have to do a travel safety briefing prior to their departure, but the form can also count as the briefing if it includes safety information. This would include tips and requirements like “Don’t mention, discuss or even imply involvement in special or classified projects or activities,” and “Never take sensitive or classified materials outside the United States.”

After the employee completes the form and returns it to their FSO, they are ready to travel. Once they return, the FSO needs to give them a foreign travel debrief within five business days. This is another form that will ask questions including, “Did you meet with any foreign nationals who requested future contact?” and “Did you have contact with anyone under circumstances that you would consider suspicious?”

Related: FAQs About the New NISPOM Rule

If the employee answers “no” to all these questions, they’ve officially fulfilled their responsibilities for reporting foreign travel. However, if they answer “yes” to any, they will need to provide further information as to what occurred. For many of these questions, a “yes” answer is likely to be completely innocent, like if the employee happened to make a friend from another country. These questions are just to make sure the FSO can do their due diligence in their investigation. Once the employee has completed this form, they’ll sign it and return it to their FSO.

On occasion, things may occur during travel that need reporting. For example, if something happens that drastically changes travel plans and the dates the employee will return, they should let the FSO know as quickly as possible.

Reporting in DISS

Once the employee has sent the FSO their completed pre-travel form, the FSO will make a report in DISS. To do this, they’ll open the subject profile, go to the foreign travel tab and click “create foreign travel report.” This is where the FSO will enter the dates the employee will be traveling, the date they first reported their travel, their reason for travel (e.g., vacation), and any other notes, such as where they’re traveling, mode of transportation, and any other relevant information. Once the FSO has uploaded this information, they can continue to access and update the foreign travel report.

After the employee returns and completes their foreign travel briefing, the FSO will put any further relevant information in DISS and then click “debriefed.” However, once a travel report is marked as debriefed, it will be unavailable for a time. The report will eventually reappear, but the FSO should maintain physical records of the pre-travel form and debriefing that the employees fill out in case they need to access them before the report is accessible within DISS. This record can be maintained for as long as the employee remains at the company.

If you are an FSO feeling overwhelmed with navigating foreign travel reporting requirements or other responsibilities associated with maintaining your company’s FCL and employees PCLs, Adamo can help! Our FSO Support services can partner with your security team and free you up to focus on growing your business while we handle the day-to-day FSO responsibilities.

For More Information About How Adamo Can Help You Today

Phone: 800.554.6364

11980 Woodside Ave, Suite 1 Lakeside, CA 92040

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CBP Releases March 2024 Monthly Update

WASHINGTON — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released operational statistics today for March 2024. CBP monthly reporting can be viewed on CBP’s Stats and Summaries webpage .

“CBP - in coordination with our partners across the Federal government as well as foreign partners - continues to take significant actions to disrupt criminal networks amidst unprecedented hemispheric migration activity,” said Troy A. Miller, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner. “Encounters at our southern border are lower right now, but we remain prepared for changes, continually managing operations to respond to ever-shifting transnational criminal activities and migration patterns.”

CBP continues to work closely with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to quickly process individuals encountered at the border and remove those who do not establish a legal basis to remain in the United States, delivering strengthened consequences promulgated by the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways rule and its associated measures. From May 12, 2023 to April 3, 2024, DHS has removed or returned over 660,000 individuals, the vast majority of whom crossed the southwest border, including more than 102,000 individual family members. The majority of all individuals encountered at the southwest border over the past three years have been removed, returned, or expelled. Total removals and returns since mid-May exceed removals and returns in every full fiscal year since 2011. 

Below are key operational statistics for CBP’s primary mission areas in March 2024. View all CBP statistics online. 

Ensuring Border Security and Managing Migration 

CBP continues to expeditiously process and remove individuals who do not have a legal basis to remain in the country. We are working together with our domestic and foreign partners to jointly disrupt irregular migration across the region, offering safe, orderly, and lawful pathways for intending migrants and taking action against ruthless smugglers who continue to spread falsehoods and show disregard for the safety and well-being of vulnerable migrants. We are also working alongside U.S. government partners to target transnational criminal organizations and smugglers who take advantage of and profit from migrants and taking new measures to stop individuals from exploiting traditional travel methods for migration.

In March 2024, the U.S. Border Patrol recorded 137,480 encounters between ports of entry along the southwest border.  In March, encounters between ports of entry along the southwest border were 45% lower than in December 2023 and 16% lower than March 2023.

CBP had a total of 189,372 encounters along the southwest border in March 2024, including U.S. Border Patrol encounters between ports of entry, as well as individuals who presented themselves at ports of entry (including those with CBP One™ appointments, detailed further below).

CBP continually analyzes and responds to changes in migration patterns, particularly irregular migration outside of lawful pathways and border crossings. We work with our federal and international partners to combat human smuggling. The fact remains: the United States continues to enforce immigration law, and those without a legal basis to remain will be removed. Migrants attempting to enter without authorization are subject to removal under Title 8 authorities.

The U.S. Border Patrol has undertaken significant efforts in recent years to expand capacity to aid and rescue individuals in distress. To prevent the loss of life, CBP initiated a Missing Migrant Program in 2017 that locates noncitizens reported missing, rescues individuals in distress, and reunifies decedents’ remains with their families in the border region. In March, the U.S. Border Patrol conducted 439 rescues, a 77% increase from January 2024. This brings the FY 2024 total rescues to 2,488 . 

View more migration statistics and rescues statistics .  

CBP One™ App   

The CBP One™ mobile application remains a key component of DHS’s efforts to incentivize noncitizens to use lawful, safe, humane, and orderly pathways and processes. Generally, noncitizens who cross between the ports of entry or who present themselves at a port of entry without making a CBP One™ appointment are subject to the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways rule. This rule presumes asylum ineligibility for those who fail to use lawful processes, with certain exceptions. DHS encourages migrants to utilize lawful processes, rather than having migrants take the dangerous journey to cross unlawfully between the ports of entry, which also carries consequences under Title 8.

The CBP One™ app allows noncitizens throughout central or northern Mexico who lack documents sufficient for admission to the United States to schedule an appointment and remain in place until presenting at a preferred port of entry for their appointment, reducing migrants’ need to crowd into immediate border areas. Use of the CBP One™ app to schedule appointments at ports of entry has increased CBP’s capacity to process migrants more efficiently and orderly while cutting out unscrupulous smugglers who endanger and profit from vulnerable migrants.

In March, CBP processed 44,000 individuals through appointments at ports of entry utilizing advanced information submitted in CBP One™. Since the appointment scheduling function in CBP One™ was introduced in January 2023 through the end of March 2024, more than 547,000 individuals have successfully scheduled appointments to present at ports of entry using CBP One™ instead of risking their lives in the hands of smugglers. The top nationalities who have been processed are Venezuelan, Haitian, and Mexican.

A percentage of daily available appointments are allocated to the earliest registered CBP One™ profiles, so noncitizens who have been trying to obtain appointments for the longest time are prioritized. CBP is continually monitoring and evaluating the application to ensure its functionality and guard against bad actors. 

CHNV Parole Processes

On January 5, 2023, DHS announced processes providing certain Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans, who have a supporter in the United States, undergo and clear robust security vetting, and meet other eligibility criteria, to come to the United States in a safe, orderly, and lawful way. These processes were built on the success of the process for Venezuelans established in October 2022; they are publicly available online, and DHS has been providing regular updates on their use to the public. This is part of the Administration’s strategy to combine expanded lawful pathways with stronger consequences to reduce irregular migration and have kept hundreds of thousands of people from migrating irregularly.

Through the end of March 2024, 404,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans arrived lawfully on commercial flights and were granted parole under these processes. Specifically, 86,000 Cubans, 168,000 Haitians, 77,000 Nicaraguans, 102,000 Venezuelans were vetted and authorized for travel; and 84,000 Cubans, 154,000 Haitians, 69,000 Nicaraguans, and 95,000 Venezuelans arrived lawfully and were granted parole.

Safeguarding Communities by Interdicting Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs

As the largest law enforcement agency in the United States, CBP is uniquely positioned to detect, identify, and seize illicit drugs before they enter our communities. CBP’s combination of interdiction and intelligence capabilities, complemented by its border search authorities, scientific services, non-intrusive inspection equipment, and canine detection teams, places it at the forefront of the U.S. government’s efforts to combat illicit fentanyl and other dangerous drugs.

CBP continues to conduct operations, including Operation Apollo, which target the smuggling of illicit fentanyl and other dangerous drugs. These operations leverage intelligence and investigative information to target drug traffickers’ supply chains and interdict items required in the production of illicit fentanyl, including precursor chemicals, pill presses and parts, movement of finished product, and illicit proceeds.

Nationwide in March, fentanyl seizures increased by 16.1% compared to February and heroin seizures by 19.6% .

To date in FY 2024 through the end of March, CBP has seized 10,026 pounds of fentanyl. CBP has stopped more fentanyl in the last two years than in the previous five years combined, and we continue to optimize our intelligence and field operations to stop these deadly substances from reaching American communities. 

Additional CBP drug seizure statistics can be found on the Drug Seizure Statistics webpage .

Facilitating Lawful Trade and Travel 

 As international travel continues to increase, CBP is leveraging technology to streamline efficiency and increase security at air and land ports of entry. Travelers are encouraged to utilize CBP’s mobile apps to enhance their travel experience, including the Global Entry Mobile Application and Mobile Passport Control , as well as new Global Entry Touchless Portals at nearly all international airports across the United States, which protect passenger privacy and expedite arrival processing by eliminating paper receipts.

Travelers arriving by air into the United States increased 13.9% from March 2023 to March 2024, passenger vehicles processed at ports of entry increased by 2.9% , and pedestrians arriving by land at ports of entry increased 10.8% over the same period.  

CBP works diligently with the trade community and port operators to ensure that merchandise is cleared as efficiently as possible and to strengthen international supply chains and improve border security. In March 2024, CBP processed more than 2.8 million entry summaries valued at more than $275 billion , identifying estimated duties of nearly $6.2 billion to be collected by the U.S. government. In March, trade via the ocean environment accounted for 39.67% of the total import value, followed by air, truck, and rail.

View more travel statistics , and trade statistics . 

Protecting Consumers, Eradicating Forced Labor from Supply Chains, and Promoting Economic Security     

CBP continues to lead U.S. government efforts to eliminate goods from the supply chain made with forced labor from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. In March, CBP stopped 749 shipments valued at more than $32 million for further examination based on the suspected use of forced labor.

Intellectual property rights violations continue to put America’s innovation economy at risk. Counterfeit and pirated goods threaten the competitiveness of U.S. businesses, the livelihoods of American workers, and the health and safety of consumers.

Consumers are encouraged to be alert to the dangers of counterfeit goods especially when shopping online as they support criminal activity, hurt American businesses, and often have materials or ingredients that can pose serious health and safety risks. Every year CBP seizes millions of counterfeit products worth billions of dollars had they been genuine. In March, CBP seized 1,633 shipments that contained counterfeit goods valued at more than $384 million . More information about CBP’s intellectual property rights enforcement is available at https://www.cbp.gov/trade .

CBP is on the frontline of textiles and trade agreements enforcement, combating textile imports that are not compliant with U.S. trade laws. Protecting the domestic textile industry and American consumers is vital to U.S. national security, health care, and economic priorities. Toward this end, CBP is intensifying its targeting and enforcement efforts to increase and expedite the prosecution of illegal customs practices. CBP’s efforts include de minimis compliance, forced labor enforcement, cargo compliance, regulatory audits, and public awareness. This month DHS announced an enhanced strategy to combat illicit trade and level the playing field for the American textile industry, which accounts for over 500,000 U.S. jobs and is critical for our national security. The plan details the actions CBP and Homeland Security Investigations will take to hold perpetrators accountable for customs violations, and safeguard the American textile industry.

View more UFLPA enforcement statistics , and intellectual property rights enforcement statistics. 

Defending our Nation’s Agricultural System  

 Through targeting, detection, and interception, CBP agriculture specialists work to prevent threats from entering the United States.  

CBP issued 7,105 emergency action notifications for restricted and prohibited plant and animal products entering the United States in March 2024. CBP conducted 106,410 positive passenger inspections and issued 841 civil penalties and/or violations to the traveling public for failing to declare prohibited agriculture items.   

View more agricultural enforcement statistics . 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the comprehensive management, control, and protection of our nation’s borders, combining customs, immigration, border security, and agricultural protection at and between official ports of entry.