Customs and Border Protection has released a new app that makes it easy for undocumented immigrants to inform the government of their plans to depart the United States. CBP Home, as it is called, replaces CBP One, an app that allowed migrants to apply for asylum interviews at the U.S.-Mexico border. That app, of course, was quickly taken offline shortly after President Trump took office.
It feels like a sick joke, but that is sort of the point—Elon Musk would probably reply with a laughing emoji to the launch of CBP Home. Migrants are not going to use it, but releasing an app with the express purpose of sending people away shows the stark contrast in philosophy with the Biden administration. CBP Home is clearly meant to intimidate migrants into leaving and going back to wherever home might have been previously. Under an executive order signed by Trump, undocumented migrants living in the United States are required to register with the federal government.
Next, CBP might consider releasing a new app for green card holders or students where they can proactively inform the government when they speak out against Israel to help the government quickly locate and deport them.
Despite strong words from the Trump administration about ramping up deportations, they have fallen short of deportations during the Biden administration because the government has limited resources to hunt down and deport the estimated 11 million undocumented migrants in the country. Trump has been making other moves, however, like posting high-production videos on social media showing migrants being deported on military aircraft. He is reportedly considering revoking visas from Ukrainians who have fled amid the war there.
