see also: in June 2006 News Releases:   CBP Border Patrol Seize Over 1.1 Million Pounds of Narcotics Through the Third Quarter of Fiscal Year   Full Enforcement for Wood Packaging Material Import Regulations to Begin July 5   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers at El Paso Port of Entry Nab Man Wanted on Homicide Warrant   CBP Border Patrol Agents Seize Narcotics in Boat   CBP Border Patrol Nets Over $600,000 Thousand During Cocaine Seizure   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Discover Seven Pounds of Heroin Hidden Baseball Bats   Border Patrol Agents Rescue Nine People From Tractor Trailer ...more on cbp.gov:   Press Officers   CBP News Releases   Trusted Traveler Programs

contacts for this news release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) this week announced that NEXUS Highway applicants can now apply at any of six joint enrollment centers, and existing program members can use their NEXUS cards at any of 11 highway locations on the northern border.

The NEXUS program is a voluntary, joint Canada/U.S. trusted traveler program whereby applicants are pre-screened and vetted by both Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and CBP, and pay a $50 US or $80 CAN fee for a five-year membership. The integration of the enrollment centers and all highway locations represents the next step in a long-term goal to integrate all existing trusted traveler programs into a single program. This integration will eventually harmonize and automate the application process and ensure a consistent and user-friendly application and vetting process for approved participants traveling by air, land or sea from Canada or Mexico into the U.S.

This NEXUS program, instituted in 1999, has grown to include 94,000 frequent border crossers. CBP works closely with CBSA to secure our borders while welcoming the hundreds of thousands of travelers and border community residents who cross the border every day. The next step in achieving full integration will be inclusion of the NEXUS Air program, currently in place at Vancouver International Airport with expansion planned for additional locations.

Commissioner W. Ralph Basham noted, “The continued expansion and integration of NEXUS demonstrates the close working relationship we have with Canada and the strong community ties that this program encourages. We will continue to work closely with our Canadian counterparts to leverage the technologies and programs that meet our dual border security and traveler facilitation needs.”

CBP is working closely with other DHS agencies, Canada, and Mexico to integrate all existing trusted traveler programs that include: Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) on the Mexican border, Free and Secure Trade (FAST), for members of the trade community on both shared borders, and NEXUS Air and Marine on the northern border.

There are currently 11 NEXUS lane locations: Peach Arch, Pacific Highway, and Point Roberts in WA; Peace Bridge, Rainbow Bridge, Whirlpool Bridge, and Champlain, NY; the Ambassador Bridge, Detroit/Windsor tunnel and Blue Waters Bridge, MI; and Highgate Springs, VT. Enrollment centers in Blaine and Seattle, WA; Fort Erie, Ontario; Champlain, NY; and Detroit and Port Huron, MI can now enroll participants for access to any of the NEXUS lanes. For more information, please visit www.cbp.gov, click on the Travel icon, and then the “Frequent Traveler Program” icon on the left-hand menu. ( Trusted Traveler Programs )

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.