Migrants who entered the United States under a policy created by former President Joe Biden have been told to leave the country immediately, following a policy reversal by President Donald Trump’s administration.
The migrants came into the U.S. using the CBP One app, which was introduced in January 2023. The app allowed people to book appointments at U.S. border entry points, especially from Mexico, as part of a humanitarian program to manage migration in a more organized way.
Now, that policy has ended. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security told AFP that “formal termination notices” have been sent to some migrants who are now considered “illegal aliens.”
“Formal termination notices have been issued, and affected aliens are urged to voluntarily self-deport using the CBP Home App,” the DHS official said. “Those who refuse will be found, removed, and permanently barred from reentry.”
U.S. media reports say the number of people affected could be over 930,000.
President Trump, who returned to office earlier this year, canceled the CBP One app on his first day back in the White House. That decision shut down one of the main legal ways migrants could enter the U.S. to ask for temporary stay.
During his campaign, Trump had promised to deport millions of undocumented migrants. He also faced backlash for his strong comments, calling some migrants “animals” and “monsters,” and blaming them for rising crime.
The DHS spokesperson defended the decision, saying, “Canceling these paroles is a promise kept to the American people to secure our borders and protect national security.”
The termination letters were sent through email, and DHS said it was using its legal power to cancel the migrants’ parole status.
Just last month, Trump’s government also removed the protected legal status of 532,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, giving them only a few weeks to leave the U.S.
This latest move is part of a wider crackdown on immigration under the Trump administration.
