ACE Mandate Expanded to Ports of Entry in California, Texas and New Mexico

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that, effective 90 days from the publication date of the notice, truck carriers entering the United States at any land border ports of entry in the states of California, Texas and New Mexico will be required to present advance electronic cargo information through the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Truck Manifest System.

ACE is the next generation of CBP technology designed to protect the United States from terrorism while ensuring the country's economic vitality by expediting lawful trade. The electronic submission, called an e-manifest, is an electronically filed version of the paper manifest carriers are already required to submit before crossing the U.S. border.

"E-manifest allows CBP to begin processing the truck before it arrives at the port," said Louis Samenfink, executive director for CBP's Cargo Systems Program Office. "With advance access to truck cargo information, CBP officers are able to pre-screen trucks and shipments, and dedicate more time to inspecting suspicious cargo without delaying the border crossings of legitimate carriers."

This is the second group of ports where filing of an e-manifest through ACE will be required. The first group of ports is mandated to use ACE e-Manifest on January 25. Eventually, ACE will be required at all land border ports of entry. As mandatory use of ACE e-Manifest is phased in at other ports, CBP will continue to provide 90 days notice through the Federal Register.