Yes, every traveler entering the United States from a foreign country—including U.S. citizens—must go through a dual-step process involving Immigration (Passport Control) and Customs. After you deplane, you first clear Immigration, where a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer verifies your identity and right to enter. Once cleared, you collect your checked luggage and proceed through the Customs area. Here, you are required to declare any goods you are bringing back, such as commercial merchandise, large amounts of currency (over $10,000), or agricultural products like fruit or meat, which are strictly regulated to prevent the spread of pests and diseases. For many, this is now handled digitally via Global Entry kiosks or the Mobile Passport Control app, which can significantly speed up the process. Even if you have nothing to declare, you are still technically "passing through customs" as you exit the secure area. The only major exception is for travelers coming from "Pre-clearance" airports (like those in Canada, Ireland, or the Bahamas), where you complete these steps before departure and arrive in the U.S. as a domestic passenger.