Migrants who entered the United States under the CBP One app policy, implemented during former President Joe Biden’s administration, have been ordered to self-deport “immediately,” according to U.S. media reports on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to AFP that “formal termination notices” had been issued to individuals deemed “illegal aliens,” though the criteria for selecting those affected was not specified.
The DHS official stated, “Formal termination notices have been issued, and affected individuals are urged to voluntarily self-deport using the CBP Home App. Those who refuse will be located, removed, and permanently barred from reentry.”
The CBP One app, introduced in January 2023 under the Biden administration, allowed migrants to schedule appointments at designated southwestern U.S. ports of entry, forming a key component of a broader humanitarian parole strategy aimed at managing migration in an orderly fashion.
National Public Radio reported that these new orders could impact over 930,000 migrants who entered the U.S. under the CBP One program. On his first day back in office earlier this year, President Donald Trump canceled further use of the CBP One app, effectively shutting down the platform that allowed migrants in Mexico to legally request appointments for temporary residency at U.S. border crossings.
Trump, who campaigned on a strict immigration enforcement platform, has promised to deport “millions” of undocumented migrants. He has faced criticism for inflammatory rhetoric, referring to some migrants as “animals” and “monsters,” accusing them of contributing to violent crime.
A DHS spokesperson defended the termination, stating, “Canceling these paroles is a promise kept to the American people to secure our borders and protect national security.”
The termination notices were reportedly sent via email, citing the department’s discretionary authority under U.S. immigration law to revoke parole status.
This move follows a broader crackdown by the Trump administration, which, just last month, rescinded the legal status of 532,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, giving them only weeks to leave the country.
