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US Customs Service marks 235th anniversary

In March, the agency opened a modernized Customs House in Old San Juan following a $65 million renovation project.

The U.S. Customs Service, now part of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), marked its 235th anniversary this week, observing “more than two centuries of safeguarding U.S. borders and facilitating legal international trade and travel,” the agency announced.

The U.S. Customs Service, created on July 31, 1789, by the First U.S. Congress, “has played a critical role in the nation’s economic growth and security. Today, as part of CBP, it remains at the forefront of protecting American interests while promoting global trade,” the agency stated.

CBP, a component of the Department of Homeland Security, is one of the largest law enforcement organizations in the world, with more than 60,000 employees.

“For 235 years, U.S. Customs has been instrumental in fostering America’s economic prosperity while ensuring the security of our nation,” said Roberto Vaquero, director of CBP Field Operations in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “As we celebrate this milestone, we remain committed to facilitating legitimate trade and travel while protecting our borders from threats.”

In March 2024, the agency opened a modernized Customs House in Old San Juan following a $65 million renovation project. In 2014, the San Juan Field Operations Office abandoned the facility due to deteriorating conditions caused by the facility’s age, continued exposure to salty sea air and damage. In 2017, conditions worsened following hurricanes Irma and Maria.

The iconic San Juan Customs House was designed by Albert B. Nichols, an architect and construction inspector for the Treasury Department’s Office of the Supervising Architect. The first floor and part of the central section were built in 1924. A second floor was later added and construction was completed in 1931.

Customs is the agency charged with collecting duties and controlling the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects and dangerous goods, into and out of a country. Traditionally, Customs has been viewed as the fiscal subject that collects customs duties (i.e., tariffs) and other taxes on imports and exports.

Over the past few decades, views of Customs’ functions have broadened considerably and now cover three basic issues: taxation, security and trade facilitation. The agency takes a comprehensive approach to border management and control, combining national security, customs, immigration and agricultural protection into a coordinated, whole-of-government approach.

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