Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a subdivision of the US Department of Homeland Security responsible for safeguarding the nation's borders and facilitating lawful international trade and travel. The agency enforces immigration laws, prevents the illegal entry of goods and individuals, and ensures the security of the US border. It also works to prevent the trafficking of drugs, weapons, and other contraband. It was established in 2003.

In FY 2024,

$12.1B

was spent by the Customs and Border Protection
In FY 2024,

13.5%

of Dept. of Homeland Security spending was by the Customs and Border Protection

How much does the Customs and Border Protection spend?

Customs and Border Protection spent a net total of $12.1 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 13.5% of the $89.3 billion spent by the Department of Homeland Security, which itself was 1.3% of all federal spending. The CBP ranked third among DHS subdivisions in net spending.
Net spending is the difference between agency spending and any financial accounts generating funds from the agency’s own activities, like fees or rent. When these funds offset all spending, net spending appears negative. Some agencies tend to operate with positive net spending while others will register negative net spending sometimes or often.

The Customs and Border Protection ranked third among Department of Homeland Security divisions in net spending in 2024.

DHS net spending by division, FY 2024

Like the overall federal budget, agency spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Customs and Border Protection’s federal spending has increased from $5.13 billion in 2003 to $12.1 billion in 2024.

The Customs and Border Protection’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 2003.

Yearly federal net spending by CBP, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 2003–2024

Since 2003, Customs and Border Protection's spending has increased 135.3%, while overall spending has increased 83.3%.
As a percentage of the overall federal budget, a positive number means agency net spending made up some positive share of total federal spending; a negative number means that net generated funds offset a portion of total spending. CBP spending grew more than overall federal spending since 2003, which means that its share of the federal budget increased. In 2024, CBP accounted for 0.2% of overall federal spending.

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Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The Customs and Border Protection’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 2003.

Net spending by CBP as a share of federal spending, FYs 2003–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.
In FY 2024, all of the Customs and Border Protection's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all net CBP spending.

How did the Customs and Border Protection spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to CBP, FY 2024

How many people work for Customs and Border Protection?

Some 66,514 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Customs and Border Protection as of September 2024. This is 14.4% more people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Customs and Border Protection has increased 14.4% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for CBP, September 2010–2024

The Customs and Border Protection accounts for 2.9% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. The division constituted a larger share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 compared to 2010 (2.8%).
While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the Customs and Border Protection's share of the workforce (2.9%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.2%).

Who leads the US Customs and Border Protection?

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is led by a Commissioner. The Commissioner is appointed by the President of the United States and requires confirmation by the Senate. This individual reports to the Secretary of Homeland Security. The Commissioner serves at the pleasure of the President, with no fixed term length.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

  • Office of Personnel Management

    FedScope

  • Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury

    Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement

    Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury logo