Imperial Valley News Center

Washington, DC - U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced today 30 tentative selections for new reimbursable services agreements through Section 481 of the Homeland Security Act, 2002 to promote economic growth in cross-border trade and travel across the country.

These public-private partnerships in Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Saipan, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington will allow approved private sector and state and local government entities to reimburse CBP for expanded services for incoming commercial and cargo traffic and international traveler arrivals.

“Each year the number of travelers CBP welcomes to the United States and the amount of cargo we process increases, and it’s innovative solutions like the Reimbursable Services Program that allows us to keep pace while ensuring the safety and security of the American people,” said Acting Commissioner Kevin McAleenan. “The selection of these new partners reinforces CBP’s commitment to supporting opportunities for economic advancement and increased service.”

Since the program began in 2013, CBP has entered into agreements with 60 stakeholders, providing over 355,000 additional processing hours at the request of our partners—accounting for the processing of more than 7.8 million travelers and nearly 1 million personal and commercial vehicles.

The new agreements increase CBP’s ability to provide new or enhanced services on a reimbursable basis by creating partnerships with private sector and government entities. Reimbursable services under this authority include customs, agricultural processing, border security services, immigration inspection, and support services at ports of entry.

The statute maintains several limitations at CBP-serviced airports, including reimbursable services being limited to overtime costs and support services for airports with 100,000 or greater arriving international passengers annually. Airports with less than 100,000 arriving international passengers annually may offset CBP for the salaries and expenses of not more than five full-time equivalent CBP officers. These agreements will not replace existing services.

The entities tentatively selected for these partnerships are:

In the air environment:

• Air Products & Chemicals (Lehigh Valley International Airport);

• Airport Aviation Services, Inc. (Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport);

• ALOFT AeroArchitects (Delaware Coastal Airport);

• Black Falcon, LLC (Austin–Bergstrom International Airport);

• Compania Panamena de Aviacion [Copa Airlines] (Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport);

• Dynamic International Airways (Saipan International Airport);

• Georgetown Air Services, LLC (Delaware Coastal Airport);

• J4V, LLC (Lehigh Valley International Airport);

• Miami Air International:

  • Baltimore–Washington International Airport;

  • Charlotte Douglas International Airport;

  • Denver International Airport;

  • Detroit Metropolitan Airport;

  • George Bush Intercontinental Airport;

  • Indianapolis International Airport;

  • Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport;

  • McCarran International Airport;

  • Newark Liberty International Airport;

  • Orlando International Airport;

  • Philadelphia International Airport;

  • Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport;

  • Pittsburgh International Airport;

  • St. Louis Lambert International Airport;

  • Tampa International Airport;

• MRTV, LLC (Lehigh Valley International Airport);

• Port of Seattle (Seattle–Tacoma International Airport);

• Sanford Airport Authority (Orlando Sanford International Airport);

• South Jersey Transportation Authority (Atlantic City International Airport);

• State of Hawaii Department of Transportation (Kona International Airport);

• The Hershey Company (Harrisburg International Airport);

• TJ3 Air, LLC (Lehigh Valley International Airport); and

• WNShipping USA Inc. (Rickenbacker International Airport).

  In the air and sea environment:

• 721 Logistics LLC:

  • John F. Kennedy International Airport;

  • Miami Seaport;

  • Miami International Airport;

  • Port of New York/New Jersey;

  • Newark Liberty International Airport;

  • Philadelphia Seaport;

  • Port Everglades;

  • Savannah, GA;

• Maritime Endeavors Shipping Co., Ltd.:

  • Gramercy, LA;

  • Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport;

  • New Orleans, LA;

• Port of Skagit:

  • La Conner Marina; and

  • Skagit Regional Airport.

    In the land environment:

• BNSF Railway Company (Sumas, WA).

  In the sea environment:

• Chiquita Brands International Inc. (Hueneme, CA);

• Crowley Latin America (Gulfport, MS);

• Inchcape Shipping Services:

  • Fajardo, PR;

  • Mayaguez, PR;

  • Ponce, PR;

  • San Juan, PR;

• Maryland Department of Transportation-Maryland Port Administration (Baltimore, MD);

• Pierce County Terminal (Seattle, WA);

• Port Tampa Bay (Tampa, FL);

• Ports America Chesapeake, LLC (Baltimore, MD);

• South Carolina Ports Authority (Charleston, SC);

• SSA Marine, Inc.:

  • Long Beach, CA;

  • Oakland, CA;

  • Seattle, WA; and

  • Tacoma, WA.

    The proposals were evaluated utilizing a rigorous, multi-layered process to ensure compatibility with CBP’s mission priorities.