Big Bend National Park, CBP to open port of entry at Boquillas

MARFA, Texas – The US National Park Service (NPS) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced today the port of entry in Big Bend National Park at Boquillas will be open beginning 30 days after publication of a final ruling by the Department of Homeland Security. The final ruling has been submitted to the Government Printing Office for publication.

The official crossing will provide access to Boquillas, Coahuila, as well as the protected areas of Maderas del Carmen, Ocampo, and Canon de Santa Elena in Mexico, filling a void of a long stretch of border between Presidio and Del Rio where there is currently no port of entry, and continuing to build on the already robust border security in the area.

The decision to open the state-of-the-art border crossing is based on extensive CBP analysis, consultation with Mexican counterparts, and is part of the ongoing commitment to ensure that steps are taken to enhance security along US borders. The final determination is also informed by extensive and important feedback from stakeholders and the public, received during the public comment period.

The port of entry will leverage cutting-edge technologies to enhance security. Pedestrians will be able to access the port between 8:00 am-5:00 pm, Wednesday through Sunday. No vehicles will be allowed to cross.

Individuals entering Mexico from the US who expect to cross back into the US via the Boquillas crossing will be required to have a Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative approved document. For more information on WHTI-approved documents, visit http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/ready_set_go/ .

Visitors entering the US will do so in the US National Park Service interagency facility, which will be staffed by Park Service personnel during hours of operation, including when the port of entry is open. Arriving visitors will have access to two kiosks to transmit travel document and identification information to CBP. Visitors will then be interviewed by a CBP officer via a remote link.

Security for the port and the surrounding area will be provided by US National Park Service rangers and US Border Patrol agents. National Park Service personnel will be on hand in the interagency facility during all hours of port operation.