Office of Field Operations
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations directs the activities of more than 25,000 employees, including more than 20,000 CBP Officers and Agriculture Specialists, and oversees the programs and operations at 20 Field Operations offices, 317 ports of entry, and 14 preclearance stations in Canada, Ireland, and the Caribbean.
The office, with an annual operating budget of $2.5 billion, is responsible for immigration policy and programs related to the admission and exclusion of aliens. The office is also responsible for inspection of agricultural products at all ports of entry to protect the health of U.S. plant and animal resources and facilitate their movement in the global market place.
Additionally, the office is responsible for border security and facilitation, including interdiction, passenger operations, targeting and analysis, canine enforcement, and trade compliance and facilitation, which includes cargo entry and release, summary operations, trade risk management and enforcement, seizures and penalties, and expanding trade operations to focus on anti-terrorism.
The office is headed by Assistant Commissioner Thomas S. Winkowski.
CBP OFO has full Border Search Authority granted by the U.S. Congress which allows officers to stop, question, inspect and examine any person or conveyance entering or exiting the United States.
[edit] See also
- Border control
- Canada – United States border
- Federal law enforcement in the United States
- Mexico – United States barrier
- Office of CBP Air
