Local officials meet to discuss SENTRI program

Douglas Dispatch

On Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, Douglas’ Mayor Danny Ortega Jr. met with Agua Prieta Mayor Irma Villalobos de Teran and Mr. Williams K. Brooks, acting director field operations for the Tucson field office as well as Mr. Michael Humphries, Douglas’ Port Director for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection as well as Mr. Gerardo Enrique del Pozo, director of the Agua Prieta Aduanas, to discuss the implementation strategies and infrastructure improvements required to install a SENTRI (Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection) lane at the Douglas Port of Entry.

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.”