The Trump administration has flipped the script on the CBP One app, which was once a backdoor entry tool for migrants under President Joe Biden. Now, the app has been redesigned as “CBP Home” and serves as a platform for illegal immigrants to arrange their own departure before ICE removes them.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem announced Monday that the app now includes a feature for migrants to report their intent to leave the country. “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,” Noem said. “If they don’t, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return.”
The overhaul comes after Trump immediately ended Biden’s version of the app on his first day in office, halting a program that had facilitated mass illegal entry through parole appointments. Those who had scheduled appointments through CBP One were left without a pathway into the U.S., and all pending cases were canceled.
Under Trump’s new enforcement measures, ICE has ramped up arrests, focusing on illegal immigrants with criminal records or prior deportation orders. At the same time, military support has been mobilized to help expedite removals. Some deportees are even being housed at Guantanamo Bay before being transported out of the country.
The administration has also launched an aggressive messaging campaign to deter future illegal crossings, warning migrants that under the new policies, they will be swiftly removed if they attempt to enter illegally. This, combined with Mexico’s enforcement measures, has led to historic lows in illegal border crossings.
Trump’s immigration enforcement strategy is shaping up to be one of the most aggressive in modern history, reversing Biden’s policies and restoring strict border controls. The administration’s message is clear: the U.S. is no longer open to illegal migration, and those who refuse to leave will face deportation.
