see also: in February 2005 Press Releases:   CBP Border Patrol Seizes Cocaine Valued at Over $15 Million   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Announces Significant Drug Seizures and Arrest   CBP Border Patrol Agents Arrest Homicide Suspect from Chicago   Mother and Two Teen Daughters Caught Smuggling Marijuana by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers at Nogales Port   Joint Announcement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Mexican Customs for the Tecate Port of Entry to Begin Processing Traffic on Friday, February 11, 2005   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Announces Tom Bortmes as Executive Director, Office of Intelligence ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

contacts for this news release

Washington, D.C. – President Bush’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 budget recognizes that securing America’s borders is a top priority. Accordingly, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) receives a nearly 4.8% budget increase -- one of the highest in government. Specifically, the FY 2006 budget for CBP totals $6.7 billion, including $5.6 billion in appropriated resources and $1.1 billion in funding derived from user fees.

“Today global terrorism is a real threat that allows no room for error. The President's budget, and the funding for technology, reflects the imperative of securing our border if we are to protect America against that threat,” stated CBP Commissioner Robert Bonner.

CBP is the world’s largest border agency and America’s frontline defense in the war on terror. Within the Department of Homeland Security, CBP is the agency responsible for securing our nation’s borders, while facilitating global trade. The FY 2006 budget allows CBP to fulfill its priority mission of preventing terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the U.S., while simultaneously facilitating the flow of people and trade across our borders.

The FY 2006 budget also provides the necessary resources to ensure that CBP continues to fulfill its traditional missions that include: combating the flow of illegal drugs and other contraband, protecting our agricultural and economic interests from harmful pests and diseases, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. trade laws.

The FY 2006 budget supports CBP’s twin goals of securing America’s borders, while protecting and expediting global trade. The following initiatives are highlights of the President’s FY 2006 budget for CBP:

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Detection Technology

• Includes$137 million for Weapons of Mass Destruction Detection Technology, including $125 million for the purchase of Radiation Portal Monitors (RPM’s).
  • A critical part of CBP’s strategy to address the threat of nuclear and radiological terrorism is to screen all trucks, trains, cars, sea containers, airfreight, and mailbags with advanced radiation detection technology prior to release.
  • As of January this year, a total of 403 RPMs have been deployed at our northern and southern border entry points. Before 9/11 there were NONE.

America’s Shield Initiative (ASI)

• Totals $51.1 million for America’s Shield Initiative (ASI), including $19.8 million for new investments.
• ASI is an integrated, national web of border security with centralized command designed to gain greater control of our borders with Canada and Mexico.
• ASI will not only dramatically improve our electronic surveillance capabilities along the southern and northern borders, but it will significantly strengthen our ability to detect, intercept, and secure the borders against illegal aliens, potential terrorists, weapons of mass destruction, illegal drugs and other contraband.

Additional Border Patrol Staffing

• Provides $36.9 million for 210 additional Border Patrol Agents, directly supporting the strategic goal to increase and extend control of the borders between the ports of entry.

Border Patrol Aircraft Replacements

• Adds $20 million to replace Vietnam era helicopters with 12 new helicopters.
• The modernized aircraft is essential to continue air support to the ground units patrolling the vast border areas.

Air and Marine Operations

• Provides $293 million for operations and maintenance of CBP’s air and marine infrastructure to identify, deter, interdict, and investigate acts of terrorism and smuggling arising from unlawful movement of people and goods into and out of the U.S.

Targeting Systems Enhancement

• Contains $28.3 million for automated targeting systems, including $5.4 million to enhance CBP’s targeting and risk analysis capabilities. ATS aids CBP in identifying high-risk cargo and passengers.

Container Security Initiative (CSI)

• Provides $138.8 million, including $5.4 million in new funding to expand the program in seven additional countries. This strengthens CBP efforts to internationalize the strategy founded in CBP’s cargo security initiatives. CBP will continue to expand our nation’s zone of security, ensuring that U.S. borders are NOT the first line of defense.
• CSI focuses on pre-screening cargo before it reaches our shores. CSI has a preventative and deterrent effect on the use of global containerized shipping of weapons of mass destruction and other terrorist equipment.

Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT)

• Contains $54.3 million for C-TPAT, including an additional $8.2 million to enhance CBP’s ability to conduct the ever-critical supply chain security validations.
• The C-TPAT partnership between CBP and the international trading community -- U.S. importers, global carriers, and other industry sectors – is designed to protect the global supply chain from terrorists and terrorist weapons and to accelerate the flow of legitimate commerce.
• Companies that institute CBP-approved security measures receive expedited processing and fewer examinations of cargo shipments.

Immigration Advisory Program (IAP)

• Adds $2 million to expand the program by two additional sites.
• IAP will improve border security against the threat of terrorism by enabling CBP to identify and intercept suspected terrorists and passengers attempting to use fraudulent identification or documents before they board commercial aircraft bound for the U.S.

Arizona Border Control Initiative

• Adds $1 million for the support of Border Patrol agents working on ABCI.
• ABCI involves hundreds of local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement officers in a cooperative Arizona effort to secure the border with enhanced personnel, technology and aviation assets. One of the major components is the removal of migrants from the dangers associated with crossing the border illegally.

Long Range Radar

• Provides $44.2 million total funding, including an increase of $31.7 million to fund the operation of long-range radar maintaining CBP’s ability to monitor air traffic environments.
• Long-range radar technology is used to detect and intercept aircraft attempting to avoid detection while entering the United States. CBP and Department of Defense will support FAA costs for operating and maintaining these systems.

Automated Biometric Identification System/Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System

• Adds $3 million to provide for operating and maintenance costs associated with the use of the Automatic Biometric Identification System and the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IDENT/IAFIS).
• IDENT/IAFIS captures biometric and biographical information with a “10 Print” fingerprint reader, and computer based facial imagery of foreigners entering the United States.
• In September 2004, U.S. Customs and Border Protection fully integrated the biometric identification technology at all 136 Border Patrol stations. To date, CBP Border Patrol agents have identified over 43,000 criminal aliens since the integration of the system.

Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)

• $305.5 million in ACE funding and $16.2 million in International Trade Data System funding to continue the multi-year modernization of CBP’s trade management systems to enhance business processes that are essential to securing U.S. borders from terrorists by providing the intelligence require to target illicit goods, while ensuring the efficient processing of legitimate goods.

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.