Former U.S. President Joe Biden made illegal immigration easy. He even had an app for it. That app was shut down by President Trump, but now, he is relaunching it, with a twist.
The Trump administration has repurposed the CBP One app, originally launched under previous administrations, into the CBP Home app, designed to facilitate self-deportation for migrants in the United States. The CBP One app, introduced in October 2020 by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), was initially created to streamline various border-related services, such as cargo inspections and traveler information. Under the Biden administration, its functionality was expanded in January 2023 to allow migrants in Mexico to schedule asylum appointments at U.S. ports of entry, a move that saw nearly 919,000 migrants processed into the U.S. by mid-January.
However, President Trump, upon taking office on January 20, immediately terminated this feature, canceling all existing appointments and halting its use for migrant entry.
The transition to the CBP Home app reflects a significant policy shift. Announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under Secretary Kristi Noem, the app now serves exclusively as a tool for migrants to arrange their voluntary departure from the U.S.
This aligns with Trump’s campaign promises to end programs like CBP One, which he criticized as a mechanism for “smuggling illegals,” and to implement a robust deportation strategy.
The CBP Home app is part of a broader initiative that includes pausing parole programs, canceling Temporary Protected Status extensions for certain nationalities, and empowering Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to revoke parole statuses granted under Biden.
DHS has emphasized that the app offers migrants an opportunity to “self-deport” and potentially preserve future legal entry options, with Noem stating, “If they don’t, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return.”
The app is expected to go live today. If you already have the CBP One app, it will update to the new self-deportation app.