Minutes after the inauguration of the new president on Monday, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials under the Trump administration shut down the CBP One app, a digital tool that allowed migrants to schedule appointments at U.S.-Mexico border ports of entry.
The shutdown effectively canceled all pending appointments for migrants without visas seeking legal entry into the United States, signaling the administration’s intent to adopt stricter border control measures.
This move is part of a broader policy shift aimed at dismantling pathways introduced during the Biden administration, despite a notable decline in migration over the past six months. According to CBP data, 96,048 foreign nationals were encountered at the border in December, with 48,722 seeking formal entry at ports of entry.
CBP One had been a key component of the Biden administration’s border strategy, encouraging migrants to use legal avenues to seek refuge in the United States. The app’s discontinuation marks a significant departure from those policies.
President Trump is also expected to sign ten executive orders on Monday addressing border enforcement. Among the anticipated actions is the reinstatement of the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), commonly known as the “remain in Mexico” policy. The program, which was a hallmark of Trump’s previous administration, required asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their U.S. immigration cases were processed. Over two years, approximately 70,000 third-country nationals were returned to Mexico under the program.
These changes reflect a return to the hardline stance on immigration that characterized Trump’s earlier presidency. Critics have raised concerns about the humanitarian impact of such policies, particularly as many migrants face dangerous conditions while awaiting decisions on their asylum applications.
The administration’s new measures come amid a decline in monthly border encounters, which fell below 100,000 for the first time since November 2023. In January 2021, coinciding with President Biden’s inauguration, CBP reported 78,414 encounters, with just 3,098 individuals presenting at ports of entry, a stark contrast to the December 2024 figures.
The shift in policy underscores a renewed focus on border security and immigration enforcement, with significant implications for migrants and asylum seekers seeking refuge in the United States.
