Office of Field Operations

The Office of Field Operations (OFO) is a federal law enforcement agency within the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) responsible for managing United States customs operations at 20 Field Operations offices, 328 ports of entry, and 16 pre-clearance stations in Canada, Ireland, the UAE, and the Caribbean. Headed by an Executive Assistant Commissioner, OFO directs the activities of more than 27,000 employees, including more than 22,000 CBP Officers and Agriculture Specialists. CBP Office of Field Operations is the largest component in CBP. Overview CBP OFO has full Border Search Authority granted by the U.S. Congress which allows officers to stop, question, inspect and examine any person or conveyance entering or exiting the United States and place those individuals violating federal law under arrest. Ports of entry are responsible for daily port specific operations. Port personnel are the face at the border for most visitors and cargo entering the United States. Here, CBP enforces the import and export laws and regulations of the U.S. federal government and conducts immigration policy and programs. Ports also perform agriculture inspections to protect the US from potential carriers of animal and plant pests or diseases that could cause serious damage to America's crops, livestock, pets, and the environment.