see also: in September 2008:   Ramey Border Patrol Sector Sponsors Intelligence Training   CBP Arrests Woman at California Port after Discovering 3 Hidden Females   Laredo Sector Border Patrol Agents Rescue Lost Alien   Customs and Border Protection Warns Floral Importers About Unripe Poppy Pods   CBP Officers Arrest Man Wanted for Failing to Register as Sex Offender   El Paso CBP Officers Discover 3,000 Pounds of Marijuana in Shipment of Watermelons   CBP Seizes More Than $360,000 in Undeclared Currency ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers   Video: CBP Restarts Security Operations at Houston Airport

contacts for this news release

Rio Grande Valley, Texas - U.S Customs and Border Protection resumed operations today at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and continues supporting Hurricane Ike rescue and recovery operations throughout southeast Texas.

CBP officers and agricultures began processing international flights at 7:30 p.m. today, and anticipate the arrival of 7,100 passengers arriving on about 70 flights today. Global Entry, part of CBP’s Trusted Traveler program, is fully operational. CBP anticipates fully resuming air cargo operations later today.

About 112 additional CBP officers who were pre-staged in San Antonio are en route to Houston to augment local officers in processing international passengers and air cargo. These officers arrived to Texas from Ports of Entry around the country. ( Video: CBP Restarts Security Operations at Houston Airport )

“Through the dedicated efforts of CBP’s Houston Field Office, we are now processing flights,” said Terry Estell, CBP’s service port director, Houston airports. “CBP employees fully appreciate the importance that facilitating trade and travel is to helping Texas recover from this devastating hurricane, and CBP is committed to quickly resuming business operations where we can at our impacted Ports of Entry.”

More than 300 personnel from CBP’s offices of field operations, Border Patrol, Air & Marine and information technology are reconstituting CBP air and sea operations as well as conducting relief operations for CBP employees.

Elsewhere, more than 100 CBP personnel from have been assigned 13 missions by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Seven missions remain active, including urban search and rescue, aerial damage assessment, and public safety and security.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection 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.