Customs and Border Protection officers currently handle both the physical inspection of vehicles at the border and the review of X-ray-style scanner images. This bill creates two new civilian positions — Image Technician 1 and Image Technician 2 — whose full-time job is to review scans and flag anomalies for officers. Five regional command centers would be set up to house these technicians, with supervisors retaining final decision-making authority. It's a five-year pilot program. Supporters hope it frees officers for physical inspections; the new jobs aren't law enforcement roles — they're technical reviewers.
Congressional Summary
Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade Facilitation Act of 2025 or the BEST Facilitation ActThis bill establishes a pilot program for positions within U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to review inspection images of vehicles and cargo entering or exiting the United States.Specifically, the bill establishes the position of image technician 1 within the CBP Office of Field Operations. An image technician must (1) review nonintrusive inspection images of vehicles and cargo entering or exiting the United States; (2) assess whether such vehicles and cargo contain contraband, illicit drugs, weapons, or persons seeking to unlawfully enter the United States; and (3) refer suspicious vehicles and cargo for further inspection by a CBP officer. These reviews must take place at one of five regional command centers established pursuant to this pilot program.The bill also establishes the position of image technician 2 with additional responsibilities, including receiving and reporting intelligence to the National Targeting Center about techniques used by malign actors to transport contraband, illicit drugs, weapons, and persons seeking to unlawfully enter the United States.Image technicians must be supervised by a supervisory CBP officer.The bill establishes annual training requirements for both positions, including training on privacy and civil liberties and how to analyze inspection images.This pilot program ends five years after the date of enactment of this bill. Individuals employed as image technicians at the end of the pilot program may transfer to comparable positions within CBP or the Department of Homeland Security.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2025-02-13
- Date Added
- 2026-04-19