BEST Facilitation Act

This plan would test a new “image technician” job at U.S. border crossings. These workers would sit in regional command centers and review X‑ray and other scan images of trucks, containers, trains, and planes as they enter or leave the country. They would flag anything that looks suspicious and recommend release or more inspection, but a CBP officer still makes the final call. The pilot sets up five such centers across land, rail, air, and sea ports .

These jobs are support roles, not law enforcement positions, and they cannot be filled by contractors. They’re meant for current CBP employees and include training on privacy and civil rights, image analysis, and the tricks smugglers use. Workers also get yearly tests to check their accuracy and speed .

• Who is affected: Travelers, truckers, shippers, and CBP staff at land, air, sea ports, and international rail crossings.
• What changes: Two levels of image technicians review scans; level 2 also shares and receives tips with the National Targeting Center. CBP must report every 6 months on staffing, images reviewed per day, effects on wait times and seizures, and progress building command centers, with regular briefings as well .
• When: The pilot ends after 5 years. After it ends, these employees can move into comparable jobs within CBP or the Department of Homeland Security .