see also: in January 2009:   CBP Officers Discover 957 Pounds of Marijuana in Concrete Pipes   CBP Canine Detects $600,000 Worth of Marijuana at Douglas Port   CBP Officers Seize $80,000 of Marijuana at Naco Port of Entry   Border Patrol Stops Vehicle, Leads to Meth Seizure   CBP Officers at Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge Seize Fake $20’s Found during Outbound Inspection   Border Patrol Agents Rescue Woman Injured in Car Accident   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Arrest Wanted Sex Offender ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers   SENTRI GetYouHome.gov

contacts for this news release

El Paso, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection is announcing that the renovated Paso Del Norte international crossing in downtown El Paso will include a pedestrian lane dedicated for use by border crossers enrolled in Secure Electronic Network for Traveler’s Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) program when the remodeled facility opens later this year. The SENTRI program is commonly referred to as the Dedicated Commuter Lane or DCL in El Paso.

When the new lane opens, SENTRI/DCL members in El Paso will have a choice of quickly entering the U.S. on foot at PDN or via one of the vehicular SENTRI/DCL crossing at either the Stanton Street international crossing or the Ysleta international crossing.

Interested participants are asked to apply early for the new program by visiting the travel page on the CBP Web site. ( SENTRI ) Because the application process takes approximately six to eight weeks to complete, potential users are urged to apply now so they will have their document when the lane opens. The membership fee is $122.25. The program will give members access to the dedicated pedestrian and vehicle lanes for five years. Applicants must pass a background check, fingerprint submission, and an in-person interview with a CBP officer.

CBP’s SENTRI program provides dedicated vehicle lanes and expedited processing at various ports of entry on the Southwest border for pre-approved, low-risk travelers. Currently the SENTRI program in El Paso has approximately 26,000 members. CBP officers at the Stanton crossing process approximately 110,000 vehicles per month while the Ysleta SENTRI crossing processes about 55,000 entries monthly.

In addition to the quick crossings associated with SENTRI membership, program members will receive an enhanced Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) card that meets the requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) for proper documents for U.S. citizens who cross the border by land or sea, which will go into effect June 1. The SENTRI card can be used at any land border crossing in lieu of a passport or passcard. More information on requirements can be found on the WHTI Web site. ( GetYouHome.gov )

The SENTRI/DCL program was first implemented in El Paso at the Stanton crossing in September 1999. The Ysleta SENTRI/DCL facility opened in December 2005.

SENTRI card holders from El Paso can also use their documents at pedestrian SENTRI lanes in San Ysidro and Calexico ports of entry as well as vehicular SENTRI lanes in San Ysidro, Calexico, Nogales, Laredo, Hidalgo and Brownsville. More than 165,000 travelers from both sides of the border are currently registered in the SENTRI program.

A similar program called Nexus serves citizens of the U.S. and Canada on the northern border.

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.