Douglas Dispatch
 Douglas' Port Director Mike Humphries, Douglas Mayor Danny Ortega Jr. and Agua Prieta, Sonora Mayor Irma Villalobos de Teran met Oct. 25 to discuss implementation of the SENTRI program at the Douglas Port of Entry. Submitted Photo |
SENTRI will provide expedited customs and border protection processing for pre-approved trusted travelers. Participants in the SENTRI program will wait shorter periods of time than those in regular lanes waiting to enter the United States, even at the busiest time of day.
According to a press release provided to the media the U.S. Customs and Border Protection along with the City of Douglas, H. Ayuntamiento de Agua Prieta, and Aduanas de Mexico have made a strong commitment to execute the required strategies and infrastructure improvements to bring SENTRI lane project into fruition in a relatively short period of time.
During this meeting, both Mayor Ortega and Presidenta Villalobos emphasized that Douglas-Agua Prieta Land Port of Entry represents a key element in the short and long term economic and community sustainability of both cities and the region as a whole.
Douglas’ City Manager Carlos De La Torre said the program was discussed and approved in concept.
“We still need to go over a lot of details in terms of infrastructure and non-infrastructure improvements that need to be made at the Douglas POE and in Agua Prieta before it can be implemented,” he said. “This was first step in the implementation process.”
Comments
chimichanga wrote on Nov 12, 2012 4:58 PM:
However, SENTRI doesn't mean that one is exempt from inspection. You can still be pulled over and inspected at ANY TIME for as long as they please. Remember if you want to cross into Mexico, you will wait coming back whether it's 8 minutes or 8 hours. "
Me too wrote on Nov 9, 2012 5:57 PM:
My family has it in Nogales and it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. A half hour saved not in line (usually 2 hours over here)is a half hour I could be doing something else. Plus, imagine the gas savings?
If you don't like it, don't apply. We'll wave as we fly past you as you are sitting in line.
Douglas (and Nogales) will never go anywhere with the backwards attitudes that prevail in our communities. Sad. "
me wrote on Nov 7, 2012 4:46 PM:
Maybe at least now parents that live in Mexico can have a way to get more United States citizen kids come to school. Just take a drive down there at around 7 am and count how many students come across. But yet my kids in school have no sports or electives due to budget cuts. Why can't the mayor and port director work together to combat the abuse of our tax dollars that happens with the local schools. Especially Alpha Omega! "