U.S. Customs and Border Protection Emerges as a Leading Enforcement Agency in Washington

Strategic Insights -

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is at the forefront of implementing the Trump Administration's trade strategy and foreign policy. With tariffs and trade policy dominating the headlines, CBP has become essential in detecting fraud, monitoring supply chains, and enforcing U.S. trade laws. The agency's traditional role in customs and tariff collection has shifted, and its customs and trade enforcement mission is now integral to the Administration's broader U.S. enforcement strategy. CBP's statistics indicate a significant increase in revenue collection, with over $136 billion in total duty, taxes, and fees collected as of June 30, 2025, compared to $88 billion in fiscal year 2024 and $92 billion in fiscal year 2023.

Key Takeaways:

  • CBP's mission has expanded to include customs and trade enforcement, with a focus on detecting fraud, monitoring supply chains, and enforcing U.S. trade laws.
  • The Trump Administration's tariff strategy has brought CBP's customs and trade enforcement role back to the forefront, with CBP collecting over $136 billion in total duty, taxes, and fees as of June 30, 2025.
  • CBP is addressing the expanded mission by hiring additional customs officers, with a request for $6.2 billion to ramp up hiring over the next five years, aiming to recruit and train an additional 5,000 customs officers.
  • The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is leveraging the False Claims Act (FCA) to prosecute customs fraud and tariff evasion, with three settlements announced since March 2025 and two pending lawsuits.
  • Businesses face increased pressure to adapt compliance programs, strengthen supply-chain oversight, and monitor import practices to avoid costly investigations and penalties.
  • An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure; investing in trade compliance now can mitigate costly risks and disruptions in the future.

Statistics:

  • As of June 30, 2025, CBP collected over $136 billion in total duty, taxes, and fees, compared to $88 billion in fiscal year 2024 and $92 billion in fiscal year 2023.
  • CBP's trade enforcement activities have seen a significant increase, with $163 million collected as a result of importer audits in fiscal year 2025, compared to $118 million in fiscal year 2024 and $114.5 million in fiscal year 2023.
  • CBP has recovered nearly $26 billion in net revenue due to entry summary reviews in fiscal year 2025, a huge increase over the $667.5 million and $256 million recovered in fiscal years 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Sources:

  • Reuters
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
  • Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
  • Government Accountability Office (GAO)
  • U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
  • Mondaq Ltd