Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is one of the largest and most connected airports in the world, with direct flights to more than 260 destinations across Latin America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and beyond. That connectivity, combined with DFW’s role as a primary hub for American Airlines, makes it one of the most active airports in the country for CBP currency enforcement. CBP officers at DFW conduct both inbound and outbound enforcement operations, and enforcement at Terminal D — the international terminal — is frequent and thorough. If your cash has been seized at DFW, you need experienced legal counsel and you need to act before your deadline passes.
Do not contact CBP’s Fines, Penalties and Forfeitures office on your own. Do not submit any written explanation without an attorney reviewing your case first. Every statement you make after a seizure becomes part of the record that CBP will use in evaluating your case.
Great Lakes Customs Law has handled currency seizure cases at DFW and at ports of entry nationwide. Read on to understand exactly what happened, what you are facing, and how we can help.
Why DFW Is a High-Enforcement Currency Airport
DFW’s route network spans Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, South Asia, and Europe — corridors that CBP and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) actively monitor for currency violations. The airport’s role as a connecting hub adds another enforcement dimension: travelers moving currency between international origins and U.S. domestic destinations pass through DFW’s customs inspection zone, creating enforcement opportunities that do not exist at non-hub airports.
Enforcement at DFW involves multiple federal agencies operating in coordination. CBP officers conduct primary and secondary inspections of international arrivals and departing passengers at Terminal D. HSI special agents, DEA agents, and canine units also operate at DFW, and the agency that initiates a seizure — whether CBP, HSI, or DEA — affects which forfeiture process applies to your case. Understanding those distinctions matters when deciding how to respond.
In 2025, CBP enforcement at DFW produced multiple documented currency seizures. In July 2025, the Director of Field Operations for Houston called out a DFW structuring case publicly — a traveler who divided more than $20,000 with another traveler to avoid the reporting threshold was intercepted, and the full amount was seized. Two additional seizure notices from DFW were published in September 2025, involving failures to report and a structuring violation. Enforcement at DFW is active, well-resourced, and ongoing.
Common Reasons CBP Seizes Cash at DFW
Under 31 U.S.C. § 5316, any person traveling internationally with more than $10,000 in currency or monetary instruments must file a FinCEN 105 form with CBP at the time of arrival or departure. The requirement applies equally to U.S. citizens and foreign nationals, and to both inbound and outbound travel. The most common violations at DFW include:
- Failure to report on arrival — Travelers arriving on international flights who do not declare currency over $10,000 at the time of entry into the United States.
- Failure to report on departure — Cash being carried out of the United States on an international flight without a FinCEN 105 filing. Outbound enforcement at DFW is active on routes to Latin America, the Middle East, and South Asia in particular.
- Structuring — Dividing funds among travel companions so that no individual carries more than $10,000. CBP treats the group as a single reporting unit. The July 2025 DFW case demonstrates that CBP is actively targeting structuring violations at this airport. Structuring under 31 U.S.C. § 5324 is a more serious charge than simple failure to report and carries higher forfeiture exposure.
- Bulk cash smuggling — Currency concealed in luggage, clothing, or personal effects with intent to evade the reporting requirement, charged under 31 U.S.C. § 5332. This is the most serious violation and the hardest to mitigate even when the funds are legitimate.
What Happens After a Cash Seizure at DFW
At the time of seizure, the seizing agency will issue a Custody Receipt for Seized Property documenting the amount taken and the contact information for the relevant forfeiture office. Within 60 days, you will receive a Notice of Seizure and Information to Claimants by certified mail, along with the Election of Proceedings form. You must choose how to respond. Your three options are:
- Administrative Petition for Remission or Mitigation — You ask CBP to return all or part of the money through an internal review process, keeping the matter out of federal court. A well-constructed petition that demonstrates the legitimacy of the funds is the most common path to recovery.
- CAFRA Seized Asset Claim — You formally contest the seizure and demand federal court proceedings, placing the burden of proof on the government. This option provides more legal leverage in the right circumstances.
- Offer in Compromise — You propose a settlement, paying a portion of the seized amount in exchange for return of the remainder.
The right choice depends on the amount seized, the violation alleged, the agency involved, and the strength of your documentation. Read our detailed guide to the Election of Proceedings form and our analysis of which option is best for your situation.
Act Before the Deadline
Once the Notice of Seizure is issued, you generally have 30 days to file an Election of Proceedings. Miss that deadline and the government may proceed with administrative forfeiture — permanently keeping your money without any court review. There is no grace period and no standard mechanism to revive a missed deadline.
Do not call the FP&F office to explain your situation. Do not make any statements about the money or its source without counsel. Read our guide on why you must remain silent after a currency seizure.
What Evidence Will You Need
Regardless of which proceeding you elect, you will need to affirmatively demonstrate that the seized funds came from a legitimate source and were intended for a lawful purpose. CBP does not presume legitimacy — the burden falls entirely on you. Supporting documentation typically includes bank records and withdrawal history, tax returns and income documentation, business records and contracts, statements from family members or business partners, currency exchange records, and documentation specific to the purpose of your travel or the intended use of the funds.
Read our full guide to evidence and documentation for currency seizure cases.
DFW’s CBP Area Port
Currency seizures at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport are processed through the CBP Dallas/Fort Worth Area Port (port code 5501), which falls under the jurisdiction of the CBP Houston Field Office. The FP&F office handling DFW cases operates within that field office structure. Great Lakes Customs Law works with FP&F offices at ports across the country, including the Houston Field Office jurisdiction, and understands how these offices evaluate and decide seizure cases.
Our Results at DFW and Nationwide
Great Lakes Customs Law has represented clients with currency seizures at Dallas-Fort Worth and at ports of entry across the country. Jason Wapiennik has handled more than 700 currency seizure cases and recovered more than $11 million for clients nationwide. Federal currency seizure law is uniform across all U.S. ports of entry — you do not need a Texas-based attorney to contest a DFW seizure effectively.
See our currency seizure case results.
Get a Free Consultation Today
If CBP or any federal agency has seized your cash at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, contact us now for a free currency seizure consultation. The sooner we review your case, the more options are available to fight for a full recovery.
Read our full CBP Money Seizure Lawyer’s Guide or reach out directly using the contact options on this page.