U.S. Customs and Border Protection

EL PASO (News Release) - To avoid any potential delays or fines due to travelers bringing prohibited/restricted agricultural items, CBP encourages travelers to declare all agricultural items to a CBP officer upon arrival and before making their journey to consult the Know Before You Go guide. It is best to declare all items acquired abroad to avoid penalties. If an item is declared but found to be prohibited it can be abandoned without consequence.

A common item CBP officers encounter during the Easter season are cascarones (confetti-filled eggshells). They are restricted to quantities of 12 per passenger and the shells may be decorated, etched, or painted but they must be clean, dry, and free of any egg residue.

CBP agriculture specialists continue to fulfill CBP’s agriculture mission by excluding harmful pests and diseases from becoming established in the U.S.

Members of the traveling public can monitor Border Wait Times online or obtain the BWT app on their smartphone via Apple App Store and Google Play  so that they can observe the wait times and make an informed decision on which bridge to use. These wait times are updated on an hourly basis. Several websites also offer live views of current bridge conditions.

“This is always busy period so travelers should plan to build extra time into their crossing plans,” said Mancha.