The Trump administration on Monday abruptly closed down a govt programme created by the Biden administration to allow migrants to use an app to secure an appointment for admission into the US through legal ports of entry, signalling the start of President Trump’s promised crackdown at the southern border. Moments after Trump took the oath of office, an announcement posted on the CBP One programme’s website declared the app would no longer function and that “existing appointments have been cancelled.”
The programme, which debuted in early 2023, allowed 1,450 migrants a day to schedule a time to present themselves at a port of entry and seek asylum through US immigration courts. More than 900,000 migrants entered the country using the app from its launch in the beginning of 2023 to the end of 2024. A former department of homeland security official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that around 30,000 migrants had appointments to enter the US through the app as of Monday.
The programme was a key part of the Biden administration’s effort to gain control over migration through the southern border. On the one hand, the administration blocked asylum for migrants who crossed illegally. At the same time, US officials believed that by offering migrants an organised way to enter legally through an app, they could discourage bids to gain entry without authorisation. Border numbers have dropped dramatically in recent months, and officials believe the programme is key reason.
