Sponsors (5)
The bill directs more fee revenue and investment returns toward upgrading land ports and staffing inspections—speeding trade and travel and improving capacity—at the cost of higher fees for travelers/importers, potential reductions in funds for other fee‑supported programs, and some equity and local/environmental governance risks.
Port operators, freight businesses, small businesses, and travelers will benefit from upgraded land port facilities that increase capacity and reduce delays and wait times for commercial traffic and vehicles, lowering transport costs and speeding trade and travel.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will be able to hire funded additional CBP officers and agricultural specialists, improving processing capacity, inspection quality, and border security at land ports.
Interest and investment income earned by the Trust Fund will be credited back to the Fund, helping to sustain funding for port projects without immediate reliance on new general-tax appropriations.
Travelers, visa applicants, and importers face new or higher surcharges and fee reallocations (e.g., up to $40, $6, $20 surcharges), meaning higher out‑of‑pocket costs for travel and importing.
Up to $1.6 billion of Merchandise Processing Fees and portions of other customs fees are redirected to the Trust Fund, reducing funds available for other programs that previously relied on those fee accounts unless Congress offsets the transfers.
Even though fees are collected and invested, Trust Fund amounts still require annual appropriations to be spent, so projects may be delayed or limited by appropriation decisions despite fee collection.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a Treasury trust fund (starting FY2026) that redirects portions of existing customs and immigration-related fees to finance land port of entry construction, modernization, and related staffing, subject to appropriations.
Official title: To establish the Land Port of Entry Modernization Trust Fund, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 13, 2025 by Henry Cuellar · Last progress February 13, 2025
Creates a dedicated Land Port of Entry Modernization Trust Fund in the U.S. Treasury to pay for construction, modernization, and repairs of U.S. land ports of entry and to support related technology and staffing. The Trust Fund is seeded beginning in fiscal year 2026 by redirecting portions of specified customs, merchandise processing, and immigration/travel-related fee collections; Treasury may invest balances and credit earnings to the Fund. Funds become available to the Department of Homeland Security only as provided in advance by appropriations acts and may be used for port expansion, inspection technology, major repairs, and hiring CBP officers, agricultural specialists, and supporting professional staff.