Central American migrants scramble to get a ride on a truck
San Diego, CA — Heartbreak and despair rippled through migrant communities Monday as President Donald Trump’s administration swiftly dismantled a key immigration tool introduced under President Joe Biden. The CBP One app, which allowed migrants to schedule appointments to enter the U.S., was abruptly shut down at noon — coinciding with Trump’s swearing-in ceremony.
The app, used by hundreds of thousands of migrants over the past two years, now displays a message informing users that all scheduled appointments have been canceled. Migrants who had been counting on the platform to secure their chance at entering the U.S. were left in tears, their hopes dashed in an instant.
A Washington Post reporter documented the emotional fallout across the border in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. One woman, who had been scheduled for an immigration appointment just an hour after the app’s closure, collapsed to her knees, silently sobbing. Others stood motionless, overwhelmed with grief as tears streamed down their faces.
The app’s shutdown marks one of the Trump administration’s first moves in a series of sweeping actions targeting immigration and border security. During his inaugural address, President Trump declared the border crisis a national emergency, vowing to take immediate and decisive action to secure the nation’s southern border.
“We will restore order,” Trump said. He announced plans to deploy troops to the border and utilize the Alien Enemies Act — a centuries-old law last invoked during World War II — to combat violent migrant gangs like Tren de Aragua and MS-13. These groups, predominantly composed of migrants from Venezuela and El Salvador, will also be officially designated as terrorist organizations under Trump’s new policies.
The abrupt policy shifts underscore the stark contrast between the Biden and Trump administrations’ approaches to immigration. For many migrants stranded at the border, the app’s closure represents not just the loss of an opportunity but also a grim signal of the challenges ahead under the new administration.