U.S. Customs and Border Protection STRATEGY 2021–2026

MISSION | TEAM | FUTURE On the Cover The U.S. Customs ensign was formally adopted on August 1, 1799, which makes it the first official flag of a U.S. government agency. The ensign was originally used to identify U.S. revenue cutters and customs vessels and signify their power to enforce federal laws and regulations. Treasury Secretary Oliver Wolcott, Jr., who served under President John Adams, designed the flag with 16 vertical stripes, alternating in red and white (to represent the number of states in the Union at that time), with the Arms of the United States in dark blue on a white field in the upper left corner. Treasury Secretary William Richardson extended the ensign as a symbol of federal authority to federal buildings in 1874. Today, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection ensign proudly represents more than 200 years of the agency’s history. CBPPhoto by Donna Burton Contents

Foreword ...... 3

Executive Summary ...... 4

CBP Strategy Pyramid ...... 7

Strategy 2021–2026 Summary ...... 9

Goal 1: MISSION — Protect the American people and facilitate trade and travel...... 11

1.1 Strategic Objective: Counter Network ...... 11 1.2 Strategic Objective: Awareness and Enforcement ...... 12 1.3 Strategic Objective: Secure and Compliant Trade ...... 13 1.4 Strategic Objective: Biometric Identification ...... 15 1.5 Strategic Objective: Targeting and Vetting ...... 16 1.6 Strategic Objective: Stakeholder Experience ...... 17

Goal 2: TEAM — Build a sustainable, capable workforce that is adaptable and ...... 19 resilient in the face of dynamic challenges.

2.1 Strategic Objective: Talent Acquisition and Workforce Development ...... 19 2.2 Strategic Objective: Wellness and Resilience ...... 20 2.3 Strategic Objective: Partnerships ...... 21

Goal 3: FUTURE — Improve CBP capability to support operationally focused, ...... 23 threat-based, intelligence and data-driven execution.

3.1 Strategic Objective: Data and Analytics ...... 23 3.2 Strategic Objective: IT Infrastructure ...... 24 3.3 Strategic Objective: Intelligence ...... 25

Measuring and Ensuring Success ...... 27

Conclusion ...... 28

U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 1 CBPPhoto by Steve Sapp

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Port of Philadelphia held a 9/11 remembrance ceremony at Philadelphia International Airport September 11, 2020. Area Port Director Joseph Martella reminded the port staff of the significance of the day and their vital mission to help keep our nation and citizens safe.

2 Foreword

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has risen to every challenge since its creation in 2003, and the past 18 months have challenged us in unexpected and unprecedented ways.

Last year, when we published our 2020–2025 Strategy, we were in the midst of a migration and humanitarian crisis unfolding on our Southwest Border. Now, a year later, we are confronting an invisible enemy in the form of the COVID- 19 pandemic, a public health crisis that has had a tremendous impact on every employee and every aspect of our mission.

Despite the disruptive events of the past 18 months, and regardless of what form the next crisis may take, CBP is unwavering in its mission. The timely release of 2021– 2026 Strategy is critical, because it lays out CBP’s five Enduring Mission Priorities: Countering Terrorism, Combatting Transnational Crime, Securing the Border, Facilitating Lawful Trade and Protecting Revenue, and Facilitating Lawful Travel.

Most importantly, these priorities are the primary drivers of CBP’s 12 Strategic Objectives, initiatives with measurable outcomes of high priority over the next five years. Collectively, the 12 Strategic Objectives in the 2021–2026 Strategy embody the key goals CBP is committed to achieving to remain successful in accomplishing our mission for years to come. Mark A. Morgan Senior Official Performing the Great organizations have strong identities. They have an unshakeable sense of Duties of the Commissioner, purpose. Our ability to deliver on our mission — to protect the American people, U.S. Customs and Border Protection safeguard our borders, and enhance the Nation’s economic prosperity — depends on our ability to navigate through change in the present, embracing it as we plan for the future while never losing sight of our purpose.

The 2021–2026 strategy will guide our strategic decisions and shape our agency’s future. CBP’s success as a threat-based, intelligence and data-driven, operationally- focused enterprise absolutely depends on how well we focus on our mission priorities to make CBP stronger, more efficient, and more effective. CBPPhoto by Steve Sapp

U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 3 Executive Summary

The world continues to change, in more dynamic ways than ever. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) remains committed to meeting existing and emerging challenges head on.

constantly changing world Terrorism,” and one of CBP’s primary ■ Continued to introduce innovative requires an adaptive and missions will always be protecting improvements to the Global Entry A responsive Strategy. Since its the Homeland from future terrorist Trusted Traveler program to release in May of 2019, CBP has made attacks. A more recent focus of CBP, improve the travel experience. The efforts to implement and update which increases in prominence Enrollment on Arrival program, its strategic plan. The updated CBP every year, is “Combat Transnational introduced in 2018, has been Strategy 2021–2026 introduces new Crime.” CBP will also continue to greatly expanded to a total of 56 Mission and Vision statements that focus on its core functional missions participating international airports describe our commitment to a safer of “Securing the Border,” “Facilitating to better serve the traveling public by and more prosperous nation and a Travel” and “Facilitating Trade and making it easier than ever to enroll set of Enduring Mission Priorities Protecting Revenue.” in Global Entry and take advantage of that describe our core missions in a its time-savings benefits. Processing succinct and meaningful way. The Finally, CBP continues to execute its improvements have led to Global Strategy remains committed to a set of set of Strategic Objectives to improve Entry members waiting less than twelve Strategic Objectives as the key our ability to accomplish the mission. 20% of the time experienced by areas where CBP will focus its efforts Our agency has made great progress regular (non-members) air travelers. and lays out specific activities and since the release of the CBP Strategy outcomes that must be achieved. 2020–2025 in May of 2019, including: ■ Made substantial progress in developing an integrated biometric CBP’s Vision statement — “enhancing ■ Hiring over 2,000 Customs and entry-exit process at our country’s the Nation’s security through Border Protection Officers (CBPOs) international airports, working with innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and hiring enough Air and Marine carriers and other key stakeholders to and trust” — reflects our position pilots to exceed its attrition for the expand real-time testing of biometric as the country’s largest federal law first time in ten years. In FY 2020, exit to a total of 24 airports and enforcement agency and our intent to CBP accelerated the momentum enhance the Global Entry process at operate as a threat-based, intelligence — even during a pandemic. CBP 16 locations. and data-driven, operationally-focused developed and implemented a organization. Our new Mission transformational frontline hiring statement — “protect the American process that increased Border Patrol people, safeguard our borders, and Agent hiring by 10%, CBPO hiring enhance the Nation’s economic by 22%, and AMO hiring by 27% prosperity” — describes our role in over the same time a year ago. As of ensuring the country’s physical and August 15, 2020, CBP achieved an economic security. Together, they overall increase in Frontline hiring provide a clear, meaningful, and with a net gain of 1,184 CBPOs and succinct description of our Agency’s 211 BPAs. purpose and future.

The CBP Strategy 2021–2026 also introduces the Enduring Mission Priorities which describe the reasons CBP exists as an agency and how we prioritize our responsibilities. The events driving the creation of the Department of Homeland Security led to the inclusion of “Countering

4 U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 ■ Implemented the U.S. Mexico ■ Enhanced family-care programs, ■ Developed a new analytic enabling Canada Agreement (USMCA) including the child care subsidy and the vetting of applicants for visa supporting White House goals, along backup care programs, to address a waiver travel against a previously with launching the USMCA Center significant source of stress for the untapped data source of significant to serve as a central communication CBP workforce. value, accomplished via close hub for CBP and the private sector coordination between the National community. ■ Established a train-the-trainer Vetting Center and a key Intelligence model and trained Master Resilience Community partner. ■ Implemented the Customs-Trade Trainers to deliver resilience skills Partnership Against Terrorism training to the workforce. ■ CBP’s Counter Network approach to (CTPAT) AQUA Lane pilot program coordinate whole-of-government to support and facilitate Trade by ■ Expanded the Veteran Support actions that identify and fight decreasing the time to market for Program to locations nationwide cross-border threat networks using imports arriving on sea vessels, by establishing additional Veteran resources at our disposal, including increase shipping expediency, and Support Program Coordinator agency authorities, data holdings, providing a direct shipping time training sessions, training the Intelligence Enterprise, and cost-savings to CTPAT members. approximately 200 new Field inter-agency partnerships. Coordinators. ■ Led the development of World ■ Deployed new technology that Customs Organization E-Commerce ■ Achieved 100% power resiliency allowed agents in the field to Data approach and shared key across all physical data center remotely connect to established results from the Section 321 Data components to ensure that the command and control centers and Pilot and Type 86 Test to inform mission can continue to operate push live pictures and other vital the E-Commerce Framework of and recover faster from power data for action and coordination Standards. disruptions. across CBP stations and partners.

■ Completed five interagency Trade ■ Dramatically improved network ■ Deployed Small Unmanned Aerial Special Operations focusing on small resiliency for agents and officers by Systems and flew thousands of hours package enforcement, identifying implementing direct connections of patrol surveillance in support a myriad of best practices for the to four Cloud Service Providers, of ground agents, improving their interagency. connecting 300 sites to 2 ability to respond to illegal border Interconnection Points, and providing crossings. 145 sites with 4G wireless backup. ■ Deployed wide-area surveillance radar across much of the northern border to deter and detect small low- flying aircraft.

With the release of the CBP Strategy 2021–2026, we remain committed to a transparent and actionable plan that provides results to the Nation, our mission, the CBP team, and our collective future. n

U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 5 CBPPhoto by Josh Denmark

The new Border Wall System drastically improves CBP’s impedance and denial capabilities between ports of entry increasing agent safety and securing our nation’s borders.

6 U.S. Customs and Border Protection STRATEGY 2021–2026

CBP STRATEGY PYRAMID One of the hallmarks of a truly great organization is a strong identity with an unshakeable sense of purpose. CBP’s dedication to fulfilling our Vision, Mission, and Enduring Mission Priorities is what makes us the premier law enforcement agency. These core elements define who we are and what we do, and they are essential to our success.

■ Counter Terrorism: ■ Facilitate Lawful Trade Anticipate, detect, and disrupt the threat of and Protect Revenue: terrorists, their weapons and actions to protect Enable fair, competitive, the people and economy of the United States and compliant trade and enforce U.S. laws to ■ Combat Transnational Crime: ensure safety, prosperity, Detect, deter, and disrupt transnational and economic security for organized crime that threatens U.S. the American people national and economic security interests at and beyond the border VISION ■ Facilitate Lawful Travel: Enhancing the Nation’s Enable, enhance, and ■ Secure the Border: security through innovation, transform the travel Protect the Homeland through intelligence, collaboration, experience by anticipating, the air, land and maritime and trust. detecting and intercepting environments against illegal threats prior to and at entry, illicit activity, or other ports of entry threats to uphold national MISSION sovereignty and Protect the American people, safeguard our borders, promote national and and enhance the Nation’s economic prosperity. economic security

ENDURING MISSION PRIORITIES Combat Facilitate Lawful Facilitate Counter Secure Transnational Trade and Lawful Terrorism the Border Crime Protect Revenue Travel

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES MISSION TEAM FUTURE Counter Network – Targeting and Vetting Talent Acquisition and Workforce Development Intelligence Awareness and Enforcement – Secure and Compliant Trade Wellness and Resilience Data and Analytics Biometric Identification – Stakeholder Experience Partnerships IT Infrastructure

CORE VALUES Vigilance Service Integrity

CBP’s continued success as a threat-based, intelligence and data-driven, operationally focused enterprise absolutely depends on how well we focus on these five Mission Priorities. They are critical to our efforts to make CBP stronger, more efficient, and more effective. CBPPhoto by Josh Denmark

U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 7 CBPLibrary

CBP’s Air and Marine Operations utilize Unmanned Aircraft Systems to provide greater situational awareness to agents and officers on the ground while minimizing the threat to personnel and assets.

8 U.S. Customs and Border Protection STRATEGY 2021–2026

CBP MISSION CBP VISION Protect the American people, safeguard our borders, Enhancing the Nation’s security through innovation, and enhance the Nation’s economic prosperity intelligence, collaboration, and trust

Goal 1: MISSION — Protect the American people and facilitate trade and travel.

Counter Leverage CBP’s unique authorities, data holdings, Intelligence Network Enterprise, and partnerships as part of a coordinated counter network approach against cross-border threat networks Awareness and Increase situational awareness to impede and respond to illicit Enforcement cross‑border traffic Secure and Anticipate, identify, and address threats that inhibit cross-border Compliant Trade commerce Biometric Leverage cutting-edge technology to transform traveler Identification verification and dramatically reduce the need to verify physical travel documents Strategic Objectives Targeting and Integrate classified and sensitive information to better inform Vetting travel and immigration benefit decisions Stakeholder Champion and improve stakeholder interactions to protect and Experience facilitate lawful travel and business

Goal 2: TEAM — Build a sustainable, capable workforce that is adaptable and resilient in the face of dynamic challenges.

Talent Acquisition and Recruit, hire, and train the most qualified people Workforce Development

Wellness and Promote physical and emotional health for employees and their Resilience families Partnerships Expand strategic CBP partnerships to promote economic cooperation, identify and mitigate threats, and extend influence

Strategic Objectives beyond our borders

Goal 3: FUTURE — Improve CBP capability to support operationally focused, threat-based, intelligence and data-driven execution.

Data and Analytics Maintain reliable data and apply advanced analytics to explore insights that inform critical strategic and tactical decisions

IT Infrastructure Provide fast and reliable access to resilient, secure infrastructure to streamline CBP work

Intelligence Strengthen CBP’s ability to identify and address current and emerging threats impacting our nation’s security Strategic Objectives CBPLibrary

U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 9 CBPPhoto by Donna Burton

CBP processes more than 1.1 million passengers and pedestrians daily at various U.S. ports of entry. One such gateway, the World Trade Crossing International Bridge in Laredo, Texas, shown here, is one of 328 ports of entry operated by CBP.

10 Goal 1 MISSION — Protect the American people and facilitate trade and travel.

Deploy evolving and highly capable people, processes, and technology to defend the United States and facilitate the secure flow of international trade.

1.1 Strategic Objective: such as drugs, money, counterfeit Desired outcome: Counter Network goods, individuals, and weapons. Consequently, threat networks have Threat networks, including Leverage CBP’s unique proven to be highly capable, profitable, terrorists and transnational criminal organizations, are authorities, data holdings, powerful, dangerous, elusive, and extremely resilient adversaries. identified and disrupted, Intelligence Enterprise, and degraded, or dismantled. partnerships as part of a In order to confront threat networks, coordinated counter-network CBP has embraced a counter-network Key activities: approach against cross approach. This effort leverages CBP’s ■ Participate with U.S. whole of border threat networks unique authorities, data holdings, government and international Intelligence Enterprise, and partnerships partners to illuminate, The U.S. faces persistent transnational to illuminate, disrupt, degrade, and analyze, and understand threats from innovative and constantly dismantle networks that pose a threat threat networks. evolving networks whose collaborative to the homeland and its interests. efforts seek to gain illicit financial CBP’s international collaboration ■ Take action with our partners or radical ideological benefits by and integration with the interagency to affect threat networks’ causing harm, inflicting damage, counter network community optimizes structure, funding, and corrupting officials, undermining the collective global effort, which operations. security efforts, and degrading the state. identifies options for intelligence- These international networks adjust driven, risk-mitigating responses. ■ Grow, enhance, and sustain organizationally and shift alliances to CBP capabilities critical to acquire new specialized talent, sources, Our success at identifying, degrading effective execution of counter and access privileges to improve and disrupting transnational networks network activities. long-term earnings, efficiencies, and depends on our ability to execute operations. Successful threat networks CBP’s counter-network approach exploit existing logistical chains and on two fronts—partnerships and officers, trade, and intelligence financial flows and diversify their sound analytical methodology. On professionals must work hand in portfolios to move multiple illicit items the former, CBP frontline agents, hand with the whole of government, as well as international partners. On the latter, CBP must have the systems and processes in place to efficiently collect and analyze threat network data, and the ability to rapidly respond with intelligence driven operations. Developing these relationships and

CBPPhoto by Donna Burton CBPPhoto by Glenn Fawcett capabilities, together with taking these CBP officers review advance manifest information to address potential actions will enable CBP to proactively threats to the U.S. at CBP’s National Targeting Center-Cargo Division. identify and stop threats before they arrive at U.S. borders. n

U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 11 1.2 Strategic Objective: Desired outcome: Awareness and Enforcement CBP pursues Operational Control at the international borders between Increase situational POEs through increased Situational Awareness, Impedance & Denial, and Response & Resolution. awareness to impede and respond to illicit Key activities: cross-border traffic. ■ Leverage technological tools and analytic approaches to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness; integrate data and Securing U.S. borders — by air, land, interagency information to establish a common operating picture and sea — is central to our security as that provides actionable information to enable decision makers a nation. Even as efforts continue to and operators; and expand the zone of security away from physical expand the zone of security away from borders. the physical borders of our nation, highly adaptive criminal networks ■ Invest in impedance and denial capability; work with partner attempt to exploit vulnerabilities in agencies and components to maximize programs that discourage enforcement capabilities between the illegal entries; utilize foreign liaisons to disrupt special-interest alien ports of entry. At the ports, criminals travel before reaching U.S. borders. attempt to conceal their activities within the legitimate flow of trade and travel. ■ Invest in capabilities and policy revisions to increase tactical and Between the ports of entry, human operational mobility, such as increased deployment of mobile and narcotic traffickers exploit gaps in technology like smartphones; utilize emerging technology such as terrain access, visual surveillance, and cutting-edge sensors; and support border security through a layered deterrence infrastructure. approach that reduces overreliance on any single point or program.

By leveraging and strengthening our ■ Sustain needed relationships with state and local law enforcement full spectrum of capabilities, we can agencies and, in particular, those at critical nodes relevant to CBP’s continue to enhance our awareness mission to secure the border. of potential and kinetic threats. This can be accomplished in four key ways. First, by better integrating and analyzing data across the interagency to create a common operating picture that can be actioned at both the field and headquarters levels. Second, by dramatically improving impedance and denial capabilities between ports of entry through infrastructure investment and enforcement of immigration and criminal laws through prosecution. Third, by collaborating with federal and local law enforcement and tribal agencies as well as international partners to proactively disrupt illicit trafficking and facilitation. Finally, by deploying a layered approach to response and resolution that arms our officers and agents with the latest tools, technology, and training to do the job.

To effectively secure the border, CBP will equip a world-class workforce

with the appropriate tools to CBPPhoto by Mani Albrecht strengthen situational awareness, More than 19,000 United States Border Patrol agents operate 24/7 to and impede and deny the entry of stop inadmissible individuals and illegal contraband from entering the illicit actors attempting to cross our United States between ports of entry. borders. n

12 U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 CBPPhoto by Mani Albrecht

CBP personnel process and inspect cargo at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, Commercial Inspection Facility near San Diego to ensure legitimate and safe goods are entering the United States.

1.3 Strategic Objective: Desired outcome: Secure and Compliant Trade Trade is safe and secure. Anticipate, identify, and address threats that inhibit Key activities: cross-border commerce. ■ Efficient Trade Facilitation — Streamline administrative processes to increase efficiency, lower costs, and reduce processing times of trade compliance using new and updated trade agreements and Trade is growing at an unprecedented policies, and account-based system. rate. CBP facilitates lawful trade, creating a level playing field for ■ Risk-Based Enforcement — Support a level playing field through American businesses, protecting risk-based analytics and intelligence-driven enforcement leading consumers and reducing business to early identification, deterrence, and disruption of potential trade costs.1 With the value of imports violations. nearing $3 trillion, the amount of international trade crossing U.S. ■ Innovative and Sustainable E-Commerce — Create a new paradigm borders has never been higher. An for trade enforcement of unprecedented e-commerce growth through important part of this volume is new global models for e-commerce trade enforcement and enhancing entering via e-commerce channels, collection of revenue. express couriers and through international mail, but no longer primarily via air. E-commerce exporters — including Anti-Dumping frictionless trade; enhancing shipments are making their way into and Countervailing duties and other risk-based enforcement through the U.S. via trucks, trains, ocean trade remedies — and reinforcing our advanced analytics and intelligence- vessels, and airplanes. Global supply priorities and mandates abroad. driven enforcement; leveraging chains have transformed in the past new technologies for detection and few decades, making it harder to trace Enhancing trade security and verification; optimizing international products back to their original source compliance requires overcoming attaché networks and intelligence and to pinpoint responsibility across critical and complex challenges, from capabilities to provide improved the network of parties involved. identifying and addressing bad actors situational awareness; creating a new across global supply chains, to the paradigm for trade enforcement in CBP is committed to ensuring that cross- growing volume of e-commerce flows. light of emerging trends and expanded border trade continues to power the authorities; and effectively escalating U.S. economy, while also protecting the To accomplish these goals, CBP consequence delivery to protect the health and safety of the public, collecting will focus on strengthening core revenue and to bring about secure and the revenue owed by importers and capabilities — enabling digital, compliant trade. n

1 Smith, Brenda, “CBP Trade and Travel Report FY 2019,” January 30, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOJKODSN7rc.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 13 CBPPhoto by Donna Burton

A CBP officer assists a traveler using a biometric identification system prior to boarding an international flight at Houston Intercontinental Airport. The identification kiosks are located at ports of entry around the world to expedite the passenger travel process while countering fraudulent documents and inadmissible persons attempting to enter the United States. CBPPhoto by Glenn Fawcett

CBP’s use of biometric technology continues to increase detection of overstays and detect fraud instantly in a no-contact, expedited travel process.

14 U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 Photo by Artens/Shutterstock by Photo

1.4 Strategic Objective: and foreign counterparts, among other Desired outcome: Biometric Identification industry partners. CBP biometrically identifies Leverage cutting-edge Biometric advancements present travelers enhancing the ability to confirm technology to transform opportunities for using innovative new overstays and detect fraud traveler verification and technologies, such as facial comparison, to ensure consistent, positive instantaneously. dramatically reduce the identification of all travelers, leading need to verify physical to a more secure and seamless entry Key activities: travel documents. process. These biometric capabilities ■ Expand implementation expedite safe, secure travel, but also of Biometric Entry/Exit Travelers to the United States have enable a contactless travel experience. in the air environment increased over 10% during the past to increase accuracy five years, with steady volumes of new Implementing processes that minimize of matching arrival and foreign visitors. To meet this growing contact touchpoints across the traveler departure information to demand and carry out our important experience have even greater urgency travelers. mission, CBP is changing how we given COVID-19 and the need to focus verify travelers and applying cutting- on the health and safety of travelers, ■ Develop and deploy edge technology in innovative ways. workers and CBP personnel. These biometric solutions These efforts require a comprehensive biometric capabilities will also enable in land and sea approach across transportation consistent exit verification, which environments to increase modalities, as well as close has not been possible until now. In accuracy of matching coordination with numerous partners addition, CBP will work with DHS to arrival and departure and stakeholders including other explore the use of biometric tools and information to travelers. government agencies, port authorities other innovative technologies in other and operators, commercial carriers, applications across the agency. n

U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 15 1.5 Strategic Objective: Desired outcome: Targeting and Vetting CBP, with United States government and international partners, Integrate classified and identifies bad actors before arrival at or between ports of entry. sensitive information Key activities: to better inform travel ■ Increase both the number of vetting programs that receive classified and immigration benefit vetting support as well as the number of agencies providing the decisions. classified vetting support.

International air travel and crossings ■ Expand classified vetting support beyond the historical focus on at our largest land border ports of counterterrorism to also cover other threat actor categories such as entry have been expanding rapidly counterintelligence and transnational organized crime. for the past five years — more than 22% at U.S. airports alone — and this ■ Provide more enhanced vetting analytics to help better identify trend is expected to resume post- previously unknown threats. pandemic.

With over 1 million passengers and law enforcement information for their the country. Second, the NVC will pedestrians arriving to the United respective applicant programs. expand beyond counter-terrorism States daily, CBP and other agencies to include vetting for other national responsible for making travel and The NVC provides a single picture security threat actors. Third, the immigration-related decisions must of all the relevant “dots” of sensitive NVC will incorporate new vetting leverage data, technology, and information to allow adjudicators to analytics to assist in the recognition interagency capabilities to address make timely and informed decisions. of previously unknown threats. evolving threats and increasing demands for targeting and vetting. Over the next five years, the NVC By incorporating these new will expand and enhance its vetting technologies and approaches, the The National Vetting Center (NVC) capabilities and services in scale, NVC improves the identification of delivers a common technology scope, and depth. First, the NVC will terrorists and other nefarious actors platform and process that enables introduce classified vetting support among the millions of individuals analysts and adjudicators from U.S. services to more adjudicating agencies who seek to benefit under our vetting programs to review relevant, and their applicant programs to help immigration laws or to transit our highly-restricted national security and identify bad actors seeking to enter borders. n CBPPhoto by Glenn Fawcett

CBP officers operating at ports of entry locations across the world don Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure passenger and officer safety.

16 U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 CBPPhoto by Glenn Fawcett

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer, right, shakes off his rain coat as he and a fellow officer wrap up scanning of shipping containers as they inspect incoming cargo at the Port of Miami in Miami, Florida.

1.6 Strategic Objective: for trade— there is still more work to Desired outcome: Stakeholder Experience be done. As the increase in international travel and trade strains CBP resources, Security, processing efficiency, Champion and improve points of friction are magnified. and integrated information sharing strengthen through stakeholder interactions stakeholder engagement and to protect and facilitate Enhancing the stakeholder experience for individuals and business is cooperation. lawful travel and therefore a critical element of our business. broader mission. Legitimate travelers Key activities: and trade stakeholders must feel and ■ Engage stakeholders to Many companies are becoming be kept safe as they interact with our transform processes, increasingly customer focused, with agency. This goal means CBP must training, and technologies highly user-friendly websites, quick provide technologically-advanced to better serve travelers turnaround and delivery times. systems and improve processes while and businesses. Through such efforts, customer increasing transparency into how CBP expectations for the speed and serves the public. ■ Strengthen risk efficiency of service delivery is assessment and security increasing. The heightened customer The agency must also collaborate with through innovation and expectations affect everyone—both in industry, other government agencies, integrated information the private sector and in government. and non-government organizations to sharing. Although CBP in particular has made improve the risk assessment process, significant advancements—reducing integrate information sharing and adopt ■ Improve efficiencies and

CBPPhoto by Glenn Fawcett manual processing, eliminating paper innovations in all environments to communication regarding forms, expanding innovative Trusted streamline the inspection process and trusted traveler and trader Traveler programs, and enhancing the move people and goods as securely, programs. Automated Commercial Environment quickly, and efficiently as possible. n

U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 17 CBPPhoto by Ozzy Trevino

Air and Marine Operations collaborate with Miami-Dade Police Department in a fast-rope response training in preparation of Super Bowl LIV in Miami, Florida. At 74 AMO locations, air and marine interdiction agents, and aviation enforcement agents monitor thousands of miles of air, maritime, and land borders to keep America safe.

18 Goal 2 TEAM — Build a sustainable, capable workforce that is adaptable and resilient in the face of dynamic challenges.

Our workforce is our best asset, and maintaining it requires commitment. To meet mission demands, we need personnel with the right skills and in sufficient quantity. In addition, we must serve as trusted partners working diligently to deliver the best of each individual and office to our missions, operational priorities, and to each other.

2.1 Strategic Objective: engage, and hire diverse candidates line of sight and upward mobility is Talent Acquisition and with the right qualifications to meet critical to CBP’s overall staffing effort. Workforce Development the needs of the CBP mission. Once onboard, CBP will continue to empower employees by delivering the Recruit, hire, and train the Recruiting, hiring, and training a guidance, tools, and programs needed to most qualified people. world-class workforce is essential and further enable personal and professional requires a combination of diligent focus career growth and advancement and innovative thinking to strengthen throughout their CBP careers. n Identifying and attracting qualified the full talent lifecycle at CBP. To build candidates continues to be a challenge upon recent staffing success, CBP will for most law enforcement agencies leverage new procedures, systems, Desired outcome: in the United States. Although CBP’s and practices to maximize academy Staffing levels meet mission mission to keep our nation secure is class availability and deliver a seamless requirements. appealing to large segments of society, applicant experience that prioritizes a multi-step and time-consuming the needs of each applicant as they Key activities: hiring process as well as necessarily successfully navigate the CBP hiring and ■ Identify, attract, and rigorous background reviews for onboarding process to achieve their engage qualified candidates CBP employment can dissuade top career goal. for all CBP occupations candidates. In recent years, CBP has by leveraging advanced increased its digital presence to attract, Providing every employee with a clear technology and data analytics.

■ Improve the applicant experience and streamline the hiring and onboarding process with a modernized, cloud-based platform.

■ Develop and implement training, programs, guidance, and tools to

CBPPhoto by Ozzy Trevino further enable employees

CBPPhoto by Ozzy Trevino to grow personally and CBP is working together to deliver the best of each individual and office to our professionally throughout missions, our operational priorities, and each other. their CBP careers.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 19 2.2 Strategic Objective: risks add to stress and fatigue.4 As By addressing the unique needs of Wellness and Resilience the CBP mission grows, reaching the workforce, CBP will continue unforeseen levels of urgency, our to maximize mission success by Promote physical, employees face new responsibilities empowering frontline operators and mental, and emotional that bring forth a new set of challenges, retaining world-class personnel. n health for employees risks, and hazards. and their families. The physical, mental, and emotional Desired outcome: health of our workforce and their The workforce is resilient. Retaining a resilient workforce is families is critical to carrying out the critical to accomplishing CBP’s mission, mission. CBP is committed to building Key activities: which relies on dedicated personnel a culture of resilience that promotes ■ Increase employee and who go above and beyond to keep the well-being and safety of all CBP family awareness of CBP Americans safe from harm. employees and their families. CBP will programs, resources, and actively promote overall wellness by benefits that are available to Workplace-related stress is on the rise providing employees with the resources help them with professional at employers across the U.S. Twenty- and services needed to ensure their and personal stressors. five percent of all employees in the U.S. physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, view their jobs as their number one and social resilience and well-being. ■ Deliver robust resilience, stressor.2 Employee anxiety, stress, and health & wellness, and depression account for most emotional To further ensure operational readiness, employee engagement health cases, and related psychological it is essential that the CBP workforce programs and training and physical ramifications cost an operate under a safety mindset at all focused on addressing estimated $125 to$190 billion per year times. This means that every employee organizational and individual in healthcare spending in the U.S.3 within our ranks, throughout our stressors. This trend is particularly prevalent in complex and dynamic operations, is law enforcement agencies like CBP, provided the equipment, training, ■ Develop individual and where additional challenges such as practice and management support organizational resilience remote deployment, rotating shifts, to accurately assess and successfully assessment capabilities to reverse cycle operations, and mission respond to and manage safety risks. measure and monitor the well-being of the workforce 2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Stress at Work,” The National Institute for Occupational and use this data to inform Safety and Health (NIOSH), June 6, 2014, https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/99-101/ (accessed the implementation of September 23, 2018). resiliency programs.

3 HBS Working Knowledge, “Workplace Stress Responsible for Up to $190B In Annual U.S. Healthcare Costs,” HBS Working Knowledge at Forbes website, January 26, 2015, https://www.forbes.com/sites/ ■ Instill a culture of safety hbsworkingknowledge/2015/01/26/workplace-stress-responsible-for-up-to-190-billion-in-annual-u-s-heathcare- across the CBP enterprise; costs/ (accessed October 8, 2018). thereby, strengthening operational readiness and 4 National Institute of Justice, “Officer Work Hours, Stress, Fatigue,” National Institute of Justice website, August 13, 2012, https://www.nij.gov/topics/law-enforcement/officer-safety/stress-fatigue/pages/ organizational resilience. welcome.aspx (accessed October 5, 2018). CBPPhoto by Glenn Fawcett

CBP personnel participate in the 13th Annual National Police Week 5K Run in Washington, D.C. A myriad of resiliency programs are offered to employees and their families to promote health and wellness in all facets of life.

20 U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 CBPPhoto by Glenn Fawcett

CBP Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner Mark A. Morgan and Deputy Commissioner Robert E. Perez meet with the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee at CBP headquarters in Washington, D.C. A cornerstone to advancing the CBP mission is building and maintaining strong international partnerships and strategic alliances with key stakeholders like the COAC.

2.3 Strategic Objective: and decision makers with a more Partnerships comprehensive understanding of the Desired outcome: border environment, border threats, Strong partnerships with other Expand strategic CBP and facilitate sound resource allocations organizations advance priority partnerships to promote in support of U.S. national security. missions. economic cooperation, CBP also recognizes that partnerships identify and mitigate Key activities: are essential to extending influence threats, and extend ■ Create sustainable and impact beyond CBP’s capabilities international partnerships influence beyond our alone. Building our capabilities and strategic alliances borders. with critical partners provides through information- the opportunity to access more sharing, training, joint and Failed states, weak states, and non- information and improve delivery on integrated operations, and state actors foster global instability. mission. People are the foundation of stability strategies. Transnational criminal organizations any CBP relationship; they determine CBPPhoto by Donna Burton promote illicit smuggling and violence if the relationship matures or fails. ■ Evaluate effectiveness of at home and abroad. International CBP’s partnerships with economic instability limits Developing a system to identify, train other agencies, trade opportunities for the most vulnerable and support those people along with groups, and industries people and diminishes hope for future building a career path within the where CBP has a generations. These challenges often agency will attract those most suited to presence, and determine spur illegal migration, the rise of represent CBP. With a highly integrated how the relationships terrorists and criminals, and political workforce, CBP must advance cohesive should be adapted to best turmoil, all of which require a whole and comprehensive international align with CBP’s mission of government approach and strong engagement that will enable proactive and U.S. national security partner alliances. enforcement opportunities and priorities. improve the timelines of warnings and Strong and effective partnerships are trends of potential threats. crucial to a thriving CBP enterprise. The nations, agencies, trade groups, and coalition and partnerships developed Leveraging increased engagement industries will advance CBP’s mission by CBP will continue to strengthen and integration through stronger of ensuring border security and and expand CBP’s network and partnerships with the U.S. facilitating safe and efficient trade capabilities, and provide CBP’s policy intelligence community, partner and travel. n

U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 21 DHSPhoto byAdam Theo

Critical investments in advanced technology, like the Mobile Surveillance Center pictured, assists CBP in increasing threat detection and collecting and analyzing data to provide critical, real-time information to frontline agents and officers securing our borders.

22 Goal 3 FUTURE — Improve CBP capability to support operationally focused, threat-based, intelligence and data-driven execution.

CBP must remain vigilant to address emerging challenges and threats while addressing new dynamics in our areas of operation. Doing so requires investment in innovative technology and processes, reliable Information Technology (IT) tools, and intelligence capabilities to anticipate and confront ever-changing dynamics.

3.1 Strategic Objective: Desired outcome: Data and Analytics Personnel make decisions based on timely information informed by Maintain reliable data quality data and analytics. and apply advanced Key activities: analytics to explore ■ Use advanced analytics to identify trends, explore alternative insights that inform courses of action, and present quality data-driven information critical strategic and for decision making for operational, resource, and policy tactical decisions. decisions.

Data and analytics have become critical ■ Collect and connect quality data, including intelligence and functions for large organizations in risk assessments, to provide predictive analytics in support recent years. The ability of users in of an actionable common operating picture that ensures various roles to not only access data agents, officers, and trade personnel have the relevant quality but to then also visualize, extract information to conduct border and trade enforcement activities. value from, and communicate it is an indispensable function that will ■ Begin to institute corporate sharing of data and data analytics aid CBP in achieving its mission techniques to create greater value and efficiencies for CBP, more efficiently and more effectively while simultaneously complying with all appropriate authorities by providing tailored, meaningful, and ensuring best privacy practices. and actionable information to both operators and strategic decision-makers in real time. CBP Intelligence Enterprise. However, can be better understood, represented the value of reliable and integrated and managed through robust data and CBP components and divisions data coupled with advanced analytics analytics capabilities. CBP will take individually collect stores of data in tools made available across the agency an enterprise-wide approach to data support of advancing our mission, to conduct and improve all business analytics, using tools and capabilities but face challenges integrating data functions cannot be understated. that empower personnel in various and using it in a more strategic and roles to access and explore scenarios, holistic manner — both within CBP, Improved threat detection, potential outcomes, and relationships

DHSPhoto byAdam Theo and with partner agencies. CBP has strengthened trade enforcement that exist within available data and been successful in its initial efforts to and compliance, more efficient ensure program sustainment through formalize the use of data and analytics, expenditure of resources, and data governance. CBP can use this most notably at the National Targeting optimization of hiring practices are information and insight to support a Center and in the establishment of the only a few examples of challenges that range of critical decisions. n

U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 23 3.2 Strategic Objective: line personnel have the technology they Fourth, we will modernize our IT infrastructure need to do their jobs and to ensure the network to ensure each operator has nation’s $2.4 trillion trade supply chain the highly available bandwidth needed Provide fast and reliable is always in service. to take advantage of the capabilities we access to resilient, deploy. secure infrastructure to First, we will continue to modernize our IT infrastructure, taking advantage Innovative, automated, secure, and streamline CBP work. of cloud technologies and increasing reliable IT infrastructure will enable the reliability of our infrastructure for CBP to confront emerging threats Technology underpins virtually all a more resilient, secure, and highly and effectively execute the mission aspects of CBP’s mission from screening available foundation for our mission with the data and capabilities it needs equipment at ports of entry to next critical systems to use. anytime, anywhere. n generation technology for our agents, officers, and other employees. CBP Second, we will significantly expand must deliver Information Technology usage of next generation technologies Desired outcome: (IT) services to the most remote areas like data and analytics tools to Personnel can access the of the United States and abroad, with improve fraud and threat detection, technology they need to do an ever-increasing need for mobile, machine learning algorithms to their jobs. operator-friendly tools that use data- provide proactive trade targeting, rich services. To be successful, we need and biometrics to enhance entry/exit Key activities: a resilient, adaptive, reliable, and secure border security. ■ Increase resilience and IT infrastructure that keeps pace with performance end-to-end evolving threats and technological Third, we will ensure end-user devices by accelerating technology advances. CBP’s IT systems of the future are refreshed, available, and connected, refresh programs; maturing must also provide greater automation including mobile devices like tablets tools, tests, and exercises and simplification for our frontline and phones, across the agency to that validate existing personnel to more efficiently deliver on make sure we are taking advantage resilience measures; and mission responsibilities. CBP will make of massive improvements in device incorporating concepts targeted IT investments to ensure front- processing power and usability. to proactively address emerging threats.

■ Manage integrated cloud migration and infrastructure modernization for all mission-essential and mission-relevant systems delivering modernized capabilities and improved user interfaces with no interruption in service; put in place redundancies and backup capabilities for critical systems.

■ Enhance cybersecurity posture in support of cloud migration and increased edge-device use without negative impact on system effectiveness.

■ Develop the necessary data warehousing and

CBPphoto infrastructure, acquire analytic tools and platforms, Autonomous Surveillance Towers operate off-grid with 100% renewable energy and provide surveillance capabilities 24/7 to enhance situational awareness and develop capabilities for and safety for USBP agents on the frontline. advanced analytic modeling.

24 U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 CBP graphicCBP

The CBP Intelligence Framework outlines the essential components to arm personnel with the tools, resources and knowledge necessary to support CBP’s intelligence-driven and operationally focused strategic efforts.

3.3 Strategic Objective: transnational criminal organizations personnel with the necessary knowledge, Intelligence that exploit U.S. borders and threaten expertise, and tradecraft to support CBP’s public safety while undermining intelligence-driven and operationally- Strengthening CBP’s national and economic security. focused strategic efforts. ability to identify and address current and CBP must close existing intelligence A fully functioning National training capacity gaps to meet current Intelligence Watch, effective hub-and- emerging threats and future demands. The development spoke architecture, and world-class impacting our of a CBP Intelligence Training Academy CBP Intelligence Training Academy nation’s security. is essential in building the expertise and are essential to meeting the ever- capacity of an intelligence workforce expanding intelligence needs of CBP’s While securing the nation’s borders, capable of identifying and countering operational offices and the facilitation CBP frontline personnel collect and enduring and emerging threats. Uniform of threat-based, intelligence, and data- produce vast amounts of information training and career development will driven operations to secure the nation’s that must be analyzed, processed, and provide CBP Intelligence Enterprise borders. n synthesized into intelligence products. These products are disseminated to detect, disrupt, and dismantle threats to Desired outcome: the U.S. CBP will invest in intelligence An operationally-focused, threat-based, intelligence and data-driven capabilities to transform into a threat- agency capable of performing strategically in support of CBP’s Enduring based, intelligence and data-driven, Mission Priorities which enhance our nation’s security through innovation, and operationally-focused agency that intelligence, collaboration and trust. enhances national security though innovation, intelligence, collaboration, Key activities: and trust. CBP will make critical ■ Establish a state of the art 24/7 National Intelligence Watch that investments to establish a state-of-the- provides an enterprise-wide common intelligence picture fusing CBP, art, 24/7 national intelligence watch, interagency, IC, LE, partner nation and publicly available information. extend intelligence capabilities to the field, and enhance CBP intelligence ■ Extend intelligence capabilities — assets, professionals, and training and capacity through the infrastructure — to the field that integrates existing disparate construction of an intelligence academy. intelligence nodes and activities optimizing efficiency and connectivity. Extending additional intelligence capabilities to CBP frontline personnel ■ Enhance CBP intelligence training capacity through the construction will increase understanding of of an intelligence academy, and the delivery of training to the field the scope of border and security via satellite training sites, mobile training teams, and virtual training threats including transnational capabilities. terrorists, hostile foreign powers, and

U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 25 CBPPhoto by Riley Mayer

Sun setting over the historic POL Ranch near Columbus, NM.

26 Measuring and Ensuring Success

U.S. security and economic prosperity challenges are addressed proactively Although there is often a delay depend on CBP achieving its mission. to keep the objective on track. between the start of a Strategic We are defining measures and targets Developing meaningful measures of Objective and its measurable impact for success that link to our daily and success is usually a more difficult — sometimes even years — this long-term performance. We will challenge. Measures are framed does not prevent us from measuring monitor and assess our performance in two ways to help CBP and its specific activities and outcomes by tracking the Strategic Objectives components assess the progress of immediately. To help to ensure using performance monitoring overall strategy, as well as Strategic success, CBP’s senior leaders will systems that drive accountability. Objectives: sponsor specific Strategic Objectives We are standardizing the approach and ensure their progress. Concise to tracking data across CBP while ■ Are we doing the things we implementation plans are being also instituting processes and checks planned? Are we doing those developed with timelines, targets, and to guarantee a high degree of data things well? E.g., an assessment of ambitious goals. Agency leadership integrity, which will also improve our activity or activity quality. will monitor the performance of ability to deliver a clear, compelling, these Strategic Objectives regularly and consistent performance synopsis ■ Are we doing the right things? and intervene when necessary to help to key stakeholders, including the Are we having the impact we ensure success. n American people. Regularly reviewing expect? E.g., an assessment of the status of Strategic Objectives helps outcome. focus a leadership team’s attention; thereby, increasing the odds that any CBPPhoto by Riley Mayer

U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026 27 Conclusion

e take our mission and commitment to our Nation Wand the public seriously. CBP’s key external task is to keep the public safe and prosperous. Internally, CBP aims to make the agency a great place to work. The shifting external dynamics and challenges we face today and in the future require focused attention on advancing our mission delivery, strengthening our team, and investing in the foundation for the future.

The implementation of this strategy positions us for long-term success and helps us better address our challenges and opportunities. These are necessary steps toward successfully accomplishing our overarching aspiration — to be the most innovative and trusted law enforcement agency in the world. n CBPPhoto by Donna Burton

The flags shown in this photo represent the official flags of CBP and its components. From left to right: CBP Ensign, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Border Patrol, and Air and Marine Operations.

28 U.S. Customs and Border Protection | STRATEGY 2021–2026

CBP Publication No. 1280–1220 December 2020 www.cbp.gov