Customs Border Security Act of 2002

The Customs Border Security Act of 2002 (H.R. 4779) was designed to strengthen U.S. border security and modernize trade operations in the wake of the September 11 attacks. The bill authorized funding for the U.S. Customs Service to hire hundreds of new officers for the northern border and purchase advanced technology to detect narcotics and terrorist threats at ports of entry.

For everyday citizens, this legislation aimed to increase safety by expanding the government's ability to search outgoing international mail and requiring airlines and shipping companies to provide electronic passenger and cargo lists before arrival. Additionally, the bill sought to make international travel slightly more affordable for returning residents by increasing the dollar value of foreign goods they could bring back into the country without paying import duties. It also provided dedicated resources for the Child Cyber-Smuggling Center to combat online child exploitation and funded the restoration of Customs operations in New York City following the destruction of the World Trade Center.