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Fact check: What is the cbp one immigration how people came here

Checked on June 20, 2025

1. Summary of the results

CBP One was a mobile application launched by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in October 2020 that fundamentally changed how migrants could access the U.S. asylum system [1]. The app allowed travelers to access certain CBP functions prior to their arrival in the United States, including scheduling appointments at ports of entry for asylum processing [1].

Over 936,000 migrants used CBP One to schedule appointments at ports of entry during its operational period [2]. However, the app's functionality was completely terminated on January 20, 2025, with all existing appointments cancelled [3]. The Trump administration has since urged migrants who entered the U.S. through the app to leave immediately, citing a broader push to revoke temporary legal status for migrants who entered during the Biden administration under humanitarian parole [2].

CBP One has been replaced by the CBP Home app, which offers a new feature called "Intent to Depart" that allows unlawfully present aliens to notify the U.S. Government of their intent to leave the United States [4]. This new app maintains other CBP functions such as applying for an I-94 and requesting inspections for perishable cargo [4].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks crucial context about CBP One's controversial role as a gatekeeper to asylum access. The Biden administration effectively capped the number of CBP One appointments available for processing asylum seekers at ports of entry, making migrants who crossed into the United States without going through CBP One ineligible for asylum [1]. This created a system where access to a legal right was conditioned on smartphone app usage.

Privacy concerns were significant but often overlooked in public discourse. The app collected photos and biographic information that could be stored in government databases for up to 75 years [1]. Immigration advocacy organizations raised concerns about the legitimacy of conditioning access to a legal right on individuals' use of a smartphone app [1].

The app also created disparate treatment issues, as not all migrants had equal access to smartphones or the technical literacy required to navigate the system effectively [1]. The Biden administration increased available appointments to 1,450 per day at one point, but this still represented a significant bottleneck in the asylum system [5].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question appears to contain grammatical errors and unclear phrasing that may reflect a misunderstanding of the CBP One system. The phrase "how people came here" suggests the user may believe CBP One was the primary method by which migrants initially arrived in the United States, when in fact CBP One was a scheduling system for asylum appointments at official ports of entry [1].

The question lacks awareness that CBP One no longer exists as of January 20, 2025 [3], which could lead to outdated information being sought or shared. Additionally, the framing doesn't acknowledge the significant policy shift that occurred when the Trump administration terminated the program and began urging CBP One users to leave the country immediately [2].

The question also fails to recognize that CBP One was not an immigration pathway itself, but rather a digital tool for managing existing legal processes, specifically asylum claims at designated ports of entry.

Want to dive deeper?
What are the eligibility requirements for using CBP One?
How does CBP One facilitate expedited processing for international travelers?
What personal and travel information is required for CBP One?
Can CBP One be used for all types of US visas and immigration purposes?
How does CBP One enhance security and reduce wait times at US ports of entry?