After the September 11 attacks in the U.S., and the passage of the Patriot Act by the US Congress, balikbayan boxes have been subjected to rigorous inspections by the United States Department of Homeland Security's Out-Bound Exam Team that caused delays of up to three weeks at the US Customs inspection facility. This extended shipping time from 21 days to over 30 days. The inspections also resulted in opened balikbayan boxes and complaints of package pilferage and mishandling.
After the September 11 attacks in the U.S., and the passage of the Patriot Act, customs officials have been inspecting balikbayan boxes more rigorously at US Customs facilities, causing delays of up to three weeks. This has resulted in opened balikbayan boxes, complaints about package theft, and mishandling.