DHS components reach out to Consular reps in Puerto Rico

The historic CBP San Juan Field Office served as venue to Consular representatives and DHS components in the Island

San Juan, Puerto Rico – The Puerto Rico Consular Corps and leadership from five Department of Homeland Security components in the island gathered Tuesday at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection San Juan Field Operations Office to nurture a nascent close working relationship.

An initiative of the CBP San Juan Field Operations Office, the objectives of the meeting were to brief the consular corps on the mission and goals of each of the DHS components whose daily work deals with travel and immigration related matters, and to introduce key points of contact.

DHS components such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Field Operations and Border Patrol), Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, United States Coast Guard,  Transportation Security Administration and U.S. Citizenship  Immigration Services;  briefed the consular corps on the mission and strategic goals  of each organization and answered  questions pertaining to interactions with foreign nationals.

The Director of Field Operations, Marcelino Borges, and the Area Port Director, Maria Palmer gave opening remarks. 

Presenters were able to answer questions regarding component responsibilities in such areas as Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), Visa Waiver countries, Global Entry Program, Consular notifications, security checkpoint procedures; among many others.

The Puerto Rico Consular Corps is composed of honorary and career consuls in the island representing 20 countries. 

In attendance were the consuls or vice-consuls of Mexico, Spain, Colombia, Panama, Finland and the Dominican Republic, as well as the honorary consuls of Italy, Czech Republic, South Korea, Russia, Switzerland, France, United Kingdom, Austria, Portugal, Peru, Thailand, Canada, Denmark and Norway.

Representatives from the External Relations Office of the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico also attended. 

On behalf of the Puerto Rico Consular Corps, the Honorary Consul of Italy, Angelo Pio Sanfilippo, conveyed that the gathering of consular and DHS officials was an excellent idea that facilitate how US Government and foreign representatives deal with multiple and complex travel and immigration matters.