WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and John Cornyn (R-TX) have reintroduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen border security and address personnel shortages at ports of entry. The Securing America’s Ports of Entry Act would fully staff America’s airports, seaports, and land ports of entry by requiring U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to hire no fewer than 1,000 additional officers annually until the agency’s staffing needs are met. Michigan and Texas are home to some of the nation’s busiest border crossings, including ports of entry in Detroit and Port Huron, Michigan, and Laredo, Brownsville, and El Paso, Texas.
“Customs and Border Protection officers play a vital role in ensuring the smooth flow of lawful trade and travel through our ports of entry, while also working tirelessly to prevent illegal activities like drug trafficking,” said Senator Peters. “This bipartisan bill is an important step toward addressing the staffing shortages that have placed immense pressure on these officers. By providing the necessary support, we can help CBP operate more effectively and maintain Michigan’s critical role in international commerce.”
“When ports of entry aren’t sufficiently staffed, we run the risk of legitimate trade and travel grinding to a halt,” said Senator Cornyn. “Nowhere do we feel this more acutely than in Texas where we have more ports of entry than any other state, which is why I am proud to cosponsor this legislation to ensure our ports have the personnel needed to handle the safe and legal flow of people and goods into our nation.”
CBP continues to face an ongoing shortage of officers. In addition to hiring more CBP officers, the bill also authorizes the annual hiring of mission support staff and technicians to perform non-law enforcement functions in support of CBP. These professionals will allow CBP officers to focus their efforts on law enforcement priorities, such as preventing drug trafficking, while supporting lawful international commerce through the nation’s ports of entry. According to CBP, 86% of the fentanyl seized in fiscal year 2024 was interdicted at ports of entry.
The bill also requires reporting on infrastructure improvements at ports of entry that would enhance drug interdiction, information on detection equipment that would help officers better identify drugs, and safety equipment to protect officers from accidental exposure to dangerous toxins. Addressing a shortage of CBP officers would also help to reduce waiting times for travelers and critical cargo coming through our ports of entry.
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