On Monday, the Trump administration announced the launch of a new mobile app, CBP Home, designed to facilitate the self-deportation of undocumented immigrants in the United States.
This app replaces the previous CBP One app, which was used during the Biden administration to schedule asylum appointments at U.S. ports of entry.
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Purpose and functionality of CBP Home
The CBP Home app includes a feature called “Intent to Depart,” which allows undocumented migrants to notify the U.S. government of their decision to leave the country voluntarily. This option is presented as a way for individuals to avoid harsher consequences associated with deportation.
As Pete Flores, Acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, stated, “The app provides illegal aliens in the United States with a straightforward way to declare their intent to voluntarily depart, offering them the chance to leave before facing harsher consequences.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem emphasised the app’s purpose: “The CBP Home app gives aliens the option to leave now and self-deport, so they may still have the opportunity to return legally in the future and live the American dream. If they don’t, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return”.
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Impact and reactions
The launch of CBP Home is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to tighten immigration controls. The decision to repurpose the app has been criticised for undermining asylum rights and facilitating mass detentions. The app automatically updates from the old CBP One version, ensuring users are redirected to the new platform.
This move follows President Trump’s commitment to increase deportations, with additional measures planned to pressure undocumented immigrants to leave the U.S.