Additional Customs and Border Protection Officers for Austin Airport

June 10, 2024

Austin, TX—Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) announced success in his efforts to secure needed Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers to be stationed at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS). The total CBP officer count will be increased by more than 25% with the addition of four officers by this fall.

“To be a true international city, Austin must have an adequate airport with direct international connections. For years, a shortage of CBP officers has been an obstacle to securing new international flights and a source of major inconvenience to incoming international passengers and local businesses awaiting incoming cargo. CBP officers not only process incoming passengers from foreign destinations at the airport but also have responsibility for inspecting cargo and supervising five remote Foreign-Trade Zones that are vital to our local economy.

“I appreciate the responsiveness of Customs and Border Patrol, the important service of the individual CBP officers, and the leadership at our Austin Airport. I will continue to work with our Airport leadership, CBP and other federal agencies toward providing a world-class experience for everyone who travels through Austin.”

Air traffic at AUS has more than doubled in the last five years, with daily flights to Europe, Mexico, Costa Rica, Central America, and the Caribbean offered by both U.S. and international network carriers. In 2022, the Federal Aviation Administration designated AUS as a large-hub category airport. However, this positive growth has brought immense challenges, particularly in managing the increasing volume of international arrivals efficiently and securely.

CBP duties at AUS include those for commercial passengers, commercial cargo, and general aviation passengers, while duties offsite include supervising five active Foreign-Trade Zones. Despite arrivals growing from 217,114 passengers in 2019 to 448,760 passengers in 2023, AUS had not previously received any increase in assigned CBP officers. With only fifteen officers stationed in AUS, passenger and air cargo are experiencing significant, ongoing daily delays. This greatly inconveniences travelers and impedes the efficient movement of goods, negatively impacting the economy.

In the next six months, AUS will be adding two additional baggage carousels as well as doubling queuing space for passengers. This addition of CBP officers assures the effectiveness of these significant airport capital improvements.