Your Voice Matters at the Border

Many of our clients have told us about rude and disrespectful treatment at the CBP field office in Dallas, where people go, by appointment or in person, to resolve matters with CBP. In our years of practice, the reports about this office are among the worst we have ever heard. Professional, courteous conduct is not a favor; it is the standard everyone deserves. CBP can only address the problems it hears about, so if you had a bad experience, a complaint is the most effective way to bring about change.

We strongly recommend that you identify yourself rather than filing anonymously. CBP states that it does not respond to anonymous submissions and cannot properly investigate an allegation without full details of where, when, and what happened.

Before You Start

Have these details ready: your passport (for date of birth and citizenship), the date of your visit, your appointment confirmation if you had one, and the officer’s name as shown on the name tag, if you saw it. Write down what happened while it is fresh, including what was said and roughly what time.

Make sure it was CBP. Officers at the CBP field office are CBP Field Operations Officers and wear a dark blue uniform. If the person you dealt with worked for a different agency, the CBP form will point you to the right place.

Filing Your Complaint in Six Steps

Go to CBP’s official complaint page: https://help.cbp.gov/s/complaints?language=en_US

1. Screening questions: Leave the first five questions set to “No.” Switch “None of the Above” to Yes, then click Next. [Screenshot 1]
2. How you entered: Your complaint is about an office visit, not an arrival, so select “Not Applicable.” (If your visit was to fix a problem from a recent flight, you may select Air instead.) [Screenshot 2]
3. Type of officer: Select “My complaint is related to an experience with a CBP Field Operations Officer (Blue Uniform).” [Screenshot 3]
4. Identify yourself: Choose to provide your personal details rather than submitting anonymously, so CBP can investigate and respond. [Screenshot 4]
5. Who is filing: Answer No if the complaint is about your own experience, or Yes if you are filing for a family member. [Screenshot 5]
6. Complete the form: For “Where Did This Happen?” choose the Dallas CBP office from the list. Enter your contact details, date of birth, citizenship, the date of your visit, and the officer’s name. If the form asks for a flight number and you had none, enter “N/A.” In the Complaint box, describe calmly and factually what happened. Confirm the three statements and submit. [Screenshot 6]

A Few Tips

Stick to facts: what was said, what was done, and when. Avoid exaggeration. The form is signed under penalty of federal law (18 U.S.C. § 1001), so every statement must be true and based on your own experience. Expect an email reply within about three to five business days.

Every honest complaint helps raise the standard for the next traveler.

For more information, or for a detailed conversation regarding Dallas CBP Office, please schedule a time to speak here

By: Rahul Reddy

Rahul Reddy is the founding partner of Reddy Neumann Brown PC. He founded our firm in 1997 and has over 28 years of experience practicing employment-based immigration. Rahul‘s vast knowledge of the complex immigration system makes him an invaluable resource and an expert in the field. His personal experience with the immigration system has made him empathetic to each of his clients’ cases and empowered him to help others achieve the American Dream.

Rahul‘s dedication to serving the immigrant community is evident, from his daily free conference calls to his weekly immigration Q&As on Facebook and YouTube Live. He is an active member of the immigrant community and one of the founders of ITServe