CBP One, known as CBP Home since March 2025, is a

mobile app A mobile application or app is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a smartphone, phone, tablet computer, tablet, or smartwatch, watch. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop appli ...

developed by

U.S. Customs and Border Protection United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the largest federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security. It is the country's primary border control organization, charged with regulating and facilita ...

(CBP). Originally launched in October 2020 to help commercial trucking companies schedule cargo inspections, its functionality was expanded in 2023 to include migrants making

asylum Asylum may refer to: Types of asylum * Asylum (antiquity), places of refuge in ancient Greece and Rome * Benevolent asylum, a 19th-century Australian institution for housing the destitute * Cities of Refuge, places of refuge in ancient Judea * ...

claims. The app faced criticism from

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

who argued that it facilitated

illegal immigration Illegal immigration is the migration of people into a country in violation of that country's immigration laws, or the continuous residence in a country without the legal right to do so. Illegal immigration tends to be financially upward, wi ...

, allowing individuals to enter the U.S. before their asylum case claims were fully vetted. Critics worried it could lead to more “

catch and release Catch and release is a practice within recreational fishing where after capture the fish is Fish hook, unhooked and returned live to the water. Originally adopted in the United Kingdom by Coarse fishing, coarse fishermen to Overfishing, preser ...

” instances, where individuals are allowed to stay in the US while awaiting hearings even though they would ultimately be ruled inadmissible. The

Trump administration Presidency of Donald Trump may refer to: * First presidency of Donald Trump, the United States presidential administration from 2017 to 2021 * Second presidency of Donald Trump, the United States presidential administration since 2025 See also * ...

shut down the app on January 20, 2025, and later relaunched it in March 2025 with a new purpose of assisting illegal immigrants in self-deportation, renaming it to "CBP Home".

History

CBP One was launched on October 28, 2020, primarily to help commercial trucking companies schedule cargo inspections. In January 2023, CBP One's functionality was expanded to include migrants making asylum claims. In May 2023, CBP One was designated by the

Biden administration Joe Biden's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 46th president of the United States began with Inauguration of Joe Biden, his inauguration on January 20, 2021, and ended on January 20, 2025. Biden, a member of the Democr ...

as the only path to request asylum on the U.S.-Mexico border and book asylum appointments. Nearly onemillion persons arranged screening appointments using the app—about 1,450 each day—since January 2023. On January 20, 2025, shortly after being inaugurated, the

ended the use of the app. In addition to the app no longer being used, any existing appointments with the app were cancelled. Early morning 5:00a.m. confirmed appointments on Inauguration Day were kept as scheduled, but by 1:00p.m. the app notified asylum seekers that their appointment was cancelled. Some of those with cancelled appointments were part of a Mexican transportation program for persons with confirmed CBP appointments. The app was relaunched in March 2025 as CBP Home to assist illegal immigrants in self-deportation from the United States. According to DHS Secretary

Kristi Noem Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem ( ; née Arnold; born November 30, 1971) is an American politician serving as the 8th United States secretary of homeland security since 2025. A member of the Republican Party, she served from 2019 to 2025 as the 33rd ...

, illegal immigrants who use the app and leave the country voluntarily may have the opportunity to return legally in the future, whereas those who are subject to removal would not have a chance at legal residency.

Features

CBP One facilitated access to a range of CBP services. It became the mandated platform for migrants at the

Mexico–United States border The international border separating Mexico and the United States extends from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Gulf of Mexico in the east. The border traverses a variety of terrains, ranging from urban areas to deserts. It is the List of ...

to schedule appointments for asylum processing at ports of entry. A

class action lawsuit A class action A class action is a form of lawsuit. Class Action may also refer to: * ''Class Action'' (film), 1991, starring Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio * Class Action (band), a garage house band * "Class Action" (''Teenage R ...

against the US government was filed by humanitarian organizations and those affected by the app. They argued the need for Internet access and a smartphone, as well as the limited language options, made it harder to file for asylum. In a 2024 report,

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...

described the app's selection process as a "lottery", with some waiting for over a year. Additionally, it was the required application for

Cubans Cubans () are the citizens and nationals of Cuba. The Cuban people have varied origins with the most spoken language being Spanish. The larger Cuban diaspora includes individuals that trace ancestry to Cuba and self-identify as Cuban but are n ...

Haitians Haitians ( French: , ) are the citizens and nationals of Haiti. The Haitian people have their origins in West and Central Africa with the most spoken language being the French based Haitian Creole. The larger Haitian diaspora includes individu ...

Nicaraguans Nicaraguans (; also called ''Nicas'') are people inhabiting in, originating or having significant heritage from Nicaragua. Most Nicaraguans live in Nicaragua, although there is also a significant Nicaraguan diaspora, particularly in Costa Rica a ...

, and

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to submit biometric data necessary for travel authorization and parole under specific national programs. The collection of personal information was criticized by

, adding that its facial recognition systems were unreliable for some demographics, and had a potential for discrimination. CBP One required migrants to be located in central and

northern Mexico Northern Mexico ( ), commonly referred as , is an informal term for the northern cultural and geographical area in Mexico. Depending on the source, it contains some or all of the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua (state), ...

for functionality. The app verified a user's location and blocked attempts to make appointments from outside authorized regions. CBP One was available on Android and

iOS Ios, Io or Nio (, ; ; locally Nios, Νιός) is a Greek island in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea. Ios is a hilly island with cliffs down to the sea on most sides. It is situated halfway between Naxos and Santorini. It is about long an ...

in five languages: English,

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, Portuguese, and

Haitian Creole Haitian Creole (; , ; , ), or simply Creole (), is a French-based creole languages, French-based creole language spoken by 10 to 12million people worldwide, and is one of the two official languages of Haiti (the other being French), where it ...

. CBP Home can be used to notify DHS of self-deportation, apply for I-94 forms, request luggage and cargo inspections, submit travel manifests, and check wait times for border crossings.

References

{{reflist 2020 software Android (operating system) software IOS software Immigration to the United States Mexico–United States border United States Department of Homeland Security Products and services discontinued in 2025 2020 establishments in the United States 2025 disestablishments in the United States