see also: in September 2005 Press Releases:   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Stands Down Hurricane Operations in the Gulf Coast Area   40th CBP Container Security Initiative Port Operational   CBP Makes History with the Launch of Predator B   CBP Border Patrol Agents Seize 1,134 Pounds of Marijuana   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Apprehends Fedex Bandit   CBP Employees Recognized for their Outstanding Contributions to Public Service at 2005 Service to America Awards Ceremony   CBP Pilot’s Heroic Efforts Save the Lives of 22 People Abandoned in the Desert ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

contacts for this news release

CALEXICO—U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials today inaugurated a new SENTRI enrollment office at the east Calexico port of entry that will process applications from low risk cross-border travelers seeking faster entry into the U.S. Opening of the modern facility now will allow area border crossers to obtain a SENTRI pass that they will use later this year when the first ever fast-pass vehicle traffic lane in Imperial County begins operation.

“We are excited that our plans to bring the benefits of the SENTRI program to Calexico and Mexicali residents has begun,” said Adele Fasano, CBP field operations director in San Diego. “With the opening of this well equipped facility, CBP will be able to efficiently process applications from an anticipated large number of travelers seeking SENTRI passes.”

	San Diego DFO Adele Fasano conducted a press conference at the Calexico port of entry to announce the grand opening of Imperial County's first SENTRI enrollment office.

The almost 7,000 square-foot facility, complete with up to ten customer booths and easy access and parking for visitors, is located in Building A at 1699 East Carr Road. Officials expect to process 60-75 SENTRI applicants each day at the new facility.

The SENTRI program, or Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection, is designed to allow expedited entry into the U.S. for registered low risk cross-border travelers who have paid a processing fee and passed a background check and whose vehicles have been pre-inspected.

“The Calexico SENTRI program will be the first to inaugurate a new electronic capability that will allow applicants to download and complete the application form from their home or business prior to making an appointment to meet with CBP officers at the east port facility,” Fasano said.

Travelers interested in obtaining a SENTRI pass need to complete a CBP Form 823S, pay the applicable fees and register their vehicles with CBP. The application form can be downloaded from the Internet (www.cbp.gov), completed at home and printed prior to scheduling an appointment at the port. The registration process includes a fingerprint and background check, interview, vehicle inspection and payment of a fee.

	A Calexico resident has her fingers electronically scanned as part of the application process to apply for a SENTRI pass at the grand opening of the Calexico port SENTRI enrollment office.

Once an applicant appears for an appointment at the enrollment center, a unique code on the form will allow rapid processing, inspection and issuance of a high-technology SENTRI identification card within a few days and in some instances, on-the-spot, Fasano said.

The new SENTRI card will utilize Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology that can be detected by special equipment in the SENTRI traffic lane so that a CBP officer can quickly view records and photos of returning registered travelers before they reach the officer’s booth.

In another evolutionary development, RFID identification cards issued by CBP will allow SENTRI participants to enter the U.S. using existing SENTRI lanes at any participating border station on the Southwest Border including the ports of San Ysidro and Otay Mesa, Fasano said.

Meanwhile, work to complete the new SENTRI vehicle traffic lane at the downtown port of entry is moving forward at a rapid pace.

Work crews on both sides of the border are making infrastructure changes to speed the development of the area’s first rapid entry vehicle lane in Imperial County. On the U.S. side, new SENTRI equipment soon will be installed in the designated traffic lane at the downtown port facility.

CBP officials are pushing to inaugurate the new traffic lane before the end of the calendar year, Fasano said.

“Although approved SENTRI participants will enjoy real benefits, they and their vehicles still are subject to inspection any time they enter the United States,” said Bonnie Lemert, port director of the Calexico port of entry. “Our officers will continue to use detector dogs and various layered enforcement operations to verify that no illegal items or individuals are entering the nation through regular or SENTRI traffic lanes.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of our Nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.