The state of Oklahoma has two Ports of Entry that allow persons and goods from other countries entrance to the United States. U.S. customs jobs in Oklahoma involve the surveillance and screening of these persons and goods to decide who and what may legally enter the country.
Cargo of all types, including agriculture and imported commercial and personal goods, enter the United States through the Ports of Entry in Oklahoma at Oklahoma City and Tulsa. At both ports, persons are employed that specialize in agricultural arrivals by rail and air, commercial imports, metals, machinery, vehicles, aircraft, seizure, passenger processing, and deferred inspections (for passengers whose immigration status could not be determined at another port of entry).
U.S. customs officials working at Oklahoma’s ports of entry see the usual customs crimes involving trying to enter the country illegally and trying to smuggle goods into the country illegally. Other unique crimes that have taken place at Oklahoma’s ports include:
- An Oklahoma State University student was arrested for receiving a suspicious package from China containing the drug methylone in September 2012
- In June 2012, U.S. customs officials took a man into custody for identity theft and deported him
Ports of Entry in Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s Ports of Entry are:
- Tulsa
- Oklahoma City
U.S. Customs Requirements and Job Titles in Oklahoma
U.S. customs jobs in Oklahoma carry heavy responsibilities. These persons must work together to keep the United States safe from possible terrorism and illegal immigration, as well as from all types of goods that could be harmful to the U.S.
For example, Agricultural Specialists working in Oklahoma’s ports of entry must find any pests that enter the U.S. on produce or grain coming into the country, and prevent these pests from entering the country and destroying our own grain and produce. Recently, Agricultural Specialists at Oklahoma’s ports of entry have been successful in intercepting the Khapra Beetle as it attempted to enter the country via agriculture.
Oklahoma is also home to an Aviation Training Center at Oklahoma City. This center provides training for Air Interdiction Agents and CBP Pilots who work to keep the U.S. skies secure. Oklahoma employs many of these types of agents and officers to train future air agents in the patrol of American skies.