Sponsors (4)
The bill expands local ports-of-entry and lowers fees for qualifying airports—improving convenience and efficiency for border communities and carriers—while shifting funding burdens and adding security and administrative costs that could fall on taxpayers, local governments, and federal agencies.
Border communities, travelers, and local businesses near qualifying airports gain designated local ports of entry, making cross-border travel and commerce more convenient and accessible.
Airlines and airport operators at qualifying airports no longer pay the user-fee in 19 U.S.C. § 58b, lowering operating costs for carriers and potentially reducing costs passed to passengers or local businesses.
Customs designation for qualifying airports can streamline customs processing and improve efficiency for passenger and cargo flows, speeding logistics and reducing delays for shippers and travelers.
Taxpayers and federal budgets may face higher costs or service cuts because eliminating the user-fee reduces revenue that funds customs services.
Local governments and airport operators may incur additional security and operational costs to meet new port-of-entry requirements at designated airports.
Customs and Treasury (CBP and federal agencies) could face administrative burdens and resource-reassignment challenges from mandated designations, potentially disrupting existing operations.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires the President to designate qualifying border-proximate primary airports as ports of entry and removes those airports from the federal user-fee regime in 19 U.S.C. § 58b.
Official title: Require the designation of certain airports as ports of entry.
Introduced February 20, 2025 by Rafael Edward Cruz · Last progress February 20, 2025
Requires the President to designate certain nearby commercial airports as U.S. ports of entry and removes those airports from the federal user-fee regime that otherwise applies to some ports. To qualify, an airport must be a primary airport within 30 miles of the northern or southern land border, must be formally associated with a nearby land border crossing or seaport within 30 miles, and must meet U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) numerical criteria for establishing a port of entry under existing Treasury guidance.