The Trump administration launched a new smartphone app on Monday, enabling undocumented immigrants in the United States to leave voluntarily instead of being arrested and deported. The program is another move in President Donald Trump’s stepped-up immigration enforcement campaign.
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) phone application, also known as CBP Home, has a “declare intent to depart” provision for users, the agency announced. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem added that the administration is firm against immigration.
“The CBP Home app provides aliens the ability to depart now and self-deport, so they might still be able to come back legally someday and have the American dream,” Noem stated in a statement. “If they don’t, we will locate them, we will deport them, and they will never come back.”
Trump, who has promised to deport a record number of illegal immigrants, has put numerous policies in place to put pressure on those living in the nation illegally. A new policy that will go into effect on April 11 will mandate that individuals without legal status register with the federal government or pay fines and risk going to jail.
CBP Home is replacing CBP One, an application rolled out during President Joe Biden’s administration. CBP One enabled migrants in Mexico to book appointments to attempt entry at lawful border crossings. Opponents, mostly from the Republican Party, complained that Biden’s app promoted mass migration and failed to include proper vetting procedures.
When he took office, Trump closed down CBP One, leaving pending appointment migrants in limbo. The move by his administration marks a further escalation toward increased immigration restriction ahead of the 2024 presidential race.