09.21.22

ND Delegation: CBP Agrees to Expand Operating Hours at Maida, Northgate and Sherwood Ports of Entry in North Dakota

Delegation Continues Pressing for a Return to Pre-Pandemic Hours of Operation at Northern POEs

WASHINGTON – Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer and Congressman Kelly Armstrong today announced that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agreed to temporarily expand operating hours at Maida, Northgate and Sherwood ports of entry (POE) in North Dakota. Pending agreement from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the hours of operation at these three POEs will be 9am to 7pm, 10 hours per day. In July, the delegation raised this priority to CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus, stressing the need toensure that northern POEs are open and accessible for lawful trade and travel. CBP’s full response can be read here.

“The limited hours of operation at our northern ports of entry have created real challenges for North Dakota’s residents and our economy,” said Senator Hoeven, a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Committee. “That’s why we’ve been working to get CBP to extend the operating hours at our state’s POEs, including through our letter to CBP Commissioner Magnus and in calls I held with CBP Executive Assistant Commissioner Flores. Today’s announcement is an important step. However, more needs to be done, and we will continue to press CBP and the CBSA to return to pre-pandemic levels of operation at our northern ports of entry."  

“While it’s encouraging to see the temporary expansion of hours at the Maida, Northgate, and Sherwood ports of entry, Customs and Border Protection’s work is far from over. Temporary won’t cut it and our neighbors to the north, Canada, must do the same. North Dakotans’ ability to conduct cross-border activity remains unnecessarily restricted as CBP refuses to return to pre-pandemic hours at our ports of entry. We will continue to push for the restoration of full operation hours at all ports of entry in North Dakota to accommodate lawful travel and trade with Canada, our close ally and largest trading partner. At a time when the U.S. economy is suffering from record high inflation, it is critical we remove obstacles to the legitimate flow of goods and services and alleviate the mounting strain on the supply chain. The President declared the pandemic over the other day, it’s past time to return to pre-pandemic hours at the northern border ports of entry in North Dakota,” said Senator Cramer.  

“It is important to many North Dakotans and our state’s economy that ports of entry with Canada are accessible. It is positive that CBP has reevaluated and will extend operating hours at these three crossings,” said Congressman Armstrong. “We need to build on this development by expanding access at additional ports of entry and encouraging CBSA to match them. We will continue working to expand trade and cooperation with our northern ally.”

In CBP’s response, the agency did not commit to opening other POEs in North Dakota.

 

-###-