LAREDO, Texas –U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced today that Donald R. Kusser, formerly the Port Director for the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport, has entered on duty as Director, Field Operations for Laredo Field Office. Mr. Kusser succeeds DFO Randy J. Howe, who retired after 34 years of federal service. Assistant Port Director Eugene E. Crawford had served as Acting DFO during the interim period.
“I look forward to working with the dedicated CBP employees that protect our borders every day.” DFO Kusser said. “The CBP mission is critical to the national security of our country, and I am excited to work with government and industry partners to implement new and innovative ways to advance our border security mission while identifying opportunities to facilitate lawful trade and travel.”
As Director of Field Operations for Laredo Field Office, Mr. Kusser oversees the operations of eight ports of entry extending from Brownsville, Texas to Del Rio, Texas. The Laredo Field Office processes the largest amount of land-based commercial truck traffic in the United States with more than $279 billion in merchandise entering in FY2022 through the 23 crossings, six airports and one seaport which comprise the eight ports of entry.
In FY2022, CBP officers assigned to the Laredo Field Office seized 54,692 pounds of narcotics valued at $436 million while processing over 4.2 million commercial trucks, 19.2 million privately-owned vehicles, 8.4 million pedestrians and 51,239 buses.
Mr. Kusser began his federal career with the U.S. Customs Service in 1991 and previously served in the SES position of Port Director at the Los Angeles/Long Beach seaport, the largest seaport operation in the United States responsible for processing nearly 40 percent of the nation’s sea cargo. As Port Director, he led an enforcement strategy resulting in increased outbound narcotics seizures, coastal smuggling interdictions, and more than $1 billion in counterfeit goods and 1 million pounds of prohibited agriculture products seized annually. He also led the creation of the Counter-Network Threat Analysis Team to identify and disrupt transnational criminal organizations at the seaport.
Mr. Kusser was appointed to the SES in 2018 as the Port Director at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), overseeing the processing of more than 23 million air passengers and 4 million cargo shipments annually. He initiated the creation of the first air cargo Centralized Examination Station and enhanced CBP’s ability to respond to active shooter events through establishment of the LAX Tactical Enforcement Officer program.
Mr. Kusser served in numerous CBP leadership roles from 2001 to 2018 and as a Program Officer at U.S. Customs Headquarters in Washington, D.C. from 1999-2001. He began his career as a Customs Inspector in San Ysidro, California from 1994 to 1999.
Mr. Kusser earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University and is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Executive Fellows and Senior Managers in Government programs.
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