BREAKING: Trump Shuts Down CBP One Migrant Entry App

In a decisive move marking the beginning of his administration’s hardline stance on immigration, President Donald Trump has ordered the shutdown of CBP One, an app-based program that allowed migrants to schedule legal entry into the United States through designated ports of entry.

Minutes after being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States (POTUS) on Monday, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency posted an announcement on its website confirming that the app was no longer operational, with all previously scheduled appointments being canceled.

The CBP One app, implemented by the Biden administration in early 2023, was designed to offer migrants a regulated pathway to apply for asylum in the U.S. It allowed up to 1,450 appointments per day for migrants to enter the U.S. legally, facilitating entry for over 900,000 individuals since its launch.

However, under Trump’s new directive, the app has been abruptly deactivated, leaving tens of thousands of migrants stranded at the southern border—many of whom had already traveled to designated entry points for their scheduled appointments.

At the El Chaparral border crossing in Tijuana, Mexico, scenes of confusion and frustration unfolded as migrants, eager to begin their legal entry process, discovered their appointments had vanished.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” said Maura Hernandez, a migrant from Michoacán, Mexico, who had traveled with her four children to Tijuana, only to find her scheduled appointment for Tuesday had been canceled. “I don’t know what we will do now. We came here hoping for a safe, legal way in.”

Gustavo Selva, a Venezuelan migrant, expressed his devastation upon learning that the program had been terminated. After waiting seven months for his appointment, which had been delayed from late January to February 9, Selva had made the long journey from Chiapas to Tijuana in anticipation of entering the U.S. legally.

“We thought we were finally going to get in today,” he said, visibly distraught. “Now, we have no idea what will happen next. It feels like we are stuck here indefinitely.”

According to a former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official, approximately 30,000 migrants had active appointments through the CBP One app as of Monday morning. In addition, nearly 300,000 individuals were reportedly waiting in Mexico, hoping to secure entry through the system.

The Biden administration had hailed CBP One as a key tool in managing migration and reducing illegal crossings at the southern border. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas had previously described the app as a means to create a lawful, orderly, and safe path for migrants seeking asylum.

“The model we have created, which includes restricting asylum at the southern border and establishing clear legal pathways for those seeking protection, should be sustained,” Mayorkas said in a recent interview with NPR. “We have laid the foundation for the incoming administration to build upon.”

While the app had played a role in reducing border crossings in recent months, its shutdown marks a dramatic shift in U.S. immigration policy under President Trump, who has consistently pushed for tougher enforcement measures and strict border controls.

Critics of the program, particularly Republican lawmakers, had long argued that CBP One allowed migrants to bypass traditional immigration processes and remain in the U.S. for extended periods while awaiting hearings in overloaded immigration courts.

“The existence of this app is one of the biggest scandals of the Biden administration,” Vice President JD Vance wrote on social media last week. “It allowed illegal immigration under the guise of a ‘legal pathway.’ It’s mind-boggling.”

Matthew Hudak, a former senior Border Patrol official, said the move signaled a return to a more hardline immigration approach under Trump, including the potential reimplementation of the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which requires asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while awaiting their U.S. hearings.

“This is just the beginning,” Hudak said. “The era of simply signing up to get in line for legal entry is over. The bar for legal immigration will be set higher, and those who cannot meet it will likely face severe consequences if they attempt to cross illegally.”