U.S. to add customs attachés in nine nations

U.S. Customs and Border Protection received permission from the State Department to add representatives in nine locations to build and strengthen partnerships with foreign governments.    U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has received permission from the State Department to add customs attachés at embassies or consulates in nine countries, Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske announced Thursday during his keynote speech at the agency’s annual Trade Symposium.
   Kerlikowske, who is nearing the end of his term along with the rest of the Obama administration, did not provide further details.
   Spokeswoman Katrina Skinner said CBP is still finalizing plans with the State Department on the new staffing arrangements, but according to personnel in the Office of International Relations who did not want to be named, countries that will host new attachés include Colombia, France, Australia and Morocco.
   CBP operates attaché offices in 21 countries. Attachés are usually posted at the U.S. embassy in the capital city, where they inform and advise the ambassador or consul general on CBP programs and capabilities. They are the subject matter experts on border security, customs and immigration issues. They advocate for CBP policies in foreign locations and coordinate with overseas counterparts to carry out programs such as the Container Security Initiative, the Immigration Advisory Program and the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, as well as help other governments build up customs capabilities.
   In their capacity, the customs liaisons may work with diplomats to push other governments to change laws, implement policies or apply resources to address a particular problem, such as the flow of unaccompanied children from Central America to the United States via Mexico.
   During his address, Kerlikowske stressed that CBP’s strategy to cooperate with foreign governments and law enforcement organizations helps push out the U.S. border and address potential threats at the source, as well as harmonize cargo processing and data sharing to minimize the burden for shippers.
   The attaché program is an important element in fostering collaboration with other governments, officials say.
   After the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, customs attaché positions were inherited by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, so CBP has had to start from scratch on building up new offices around the world.