EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – At least 100,000 vetted drivers will have a third option for their daily commute between El Paso and Juarez, Mexico, beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday.
That’s when U.S. Customs and Border Protection and will expand the Secure Electronic Network For Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) program to the Paso del Norte International Bridge. Between one and four inspection booths on the far east side of the bridge will be reserved for SENTRI users, depending on demand, according to CBP. Electronic signs will direct drivers to the Designated Commuter Lane (DCL).
DCLs, colloquially referred to as the “express lane” on both sides of the border, will continue to operate at the Stanton Street Bridge and the Ysleta-Zaragoza port of entry. CBP said those two facilities processed 1.5 million vehicles during fiscal year 2023 – a 50% increase over just two years ago.
The expansion has to do with the demand for faster processing of repeat, trusted crossers driving vehicles known to the agency as well. Almost 82,000 vetted drivers were enrolled in SENTRI in 2021, compared to more than 100,000 today.
“The need for additional SENTRI service has been demonstrated by the growing popularity of this trusted traveler program, especially in the downtown area,” said CBP El Paso Director of Field Operations Hector Mancha. “It is important to note that enrollment in SENTRI does not offer a free pass to the U.S. CBP officers may still conduct exams to verify that SENTRI users are not violating any laws upon their arrival.”
Federal officials said the proximity and existing infrastructure at Paso del Norte supported the expansion of SENTRI from the Stanton Bridge, which is literally a couple of blocks away. Both structures connect the respective downtown areas of Juarez and El Paso.
Dedicated commuter lanes were established at the Stanton Bridge in 1999 and expanded to the Ysleta port of entry a few years later, according to CBP.
For information on how to apply to the SENTRI program, visit this CBP page.
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