Airlines for America, a trade association representing U.S. airlines, is urging Congress to provide additional funding for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers to address growing wait times at U.S. customs checkpoints that could harm both business and leisure travel.
In testimony to lawmakers, the group warned that transferring agents from one location to another creates an unsustainable “robbing Peter to pay Paul” staffing model. That warning follows reports that the administration plans to reassign agents to the southern border with Mexico.
“The traveling and shipping public should not be subjected to excessive wait times,” the association said, noting that prolonged delays risk damaging commerce and the broader U.S. economy.
CBP has acknowledged reassigning roughly 500 officers from northern border ports, seaports, and airports to the southern border, and indicated that further reassignments may occur. Such moves, the industry argues, can strain other ports of entry and disrupt the flow of passengers and goods.
Travel and trade groups backed a Senate proposal to allocate funding for CBP to hire an additional 600 officers. Supporters say that hiring more staff would help prevent operational shortfalls that increase supply-chain costs and cause passengers to miss connections, ultimately protecting commerce and traveler experience.
Airlines for America emphasized that a stable, adequately staffed CBP workforce is essential to maintaining efficient cross-border travel and trade. The group urged Congress to act to ensure that ports and airports across the country have the resources needed to process travelers and cargo promptly and reliably.