CBP One App: Essential Resource for Migrants Seeking Legal US Entry Faces Uncertain Future

A nurse from Cuba, Karla Figueredo, fled her country during a significant exodus and found herself in need of shelter in Mexico while waiting to enter the US legally. She stayed with Martha Rosales, a lifelong resident of Tijuana, who needed medical help after a dog attack. Figueredo treated Rosales' injuries and stayed for three days in October 2023, awaiting her border appointment through the CBP One app.

Figueredo's departure to the US marked the beginning of Rosales' involvement with migrants. With Rosales' consent, Figueredo shared her name with other migrants. This led Rosales to transform her home into one of many migrant shelters in Tijuana, accommodating those using the CBP One app. "I told God that if they didn’t amputate my feet, I would help every Cuban," said Rosales, who was wheelchair-bound after being attacked by five dogs until Figueredo's assistance.

CBP One's Impact on Migrants

The CBP One app has facilitated nearly a million people entering the US on two-year permits with work eligibility. However, its future is uncertain if Donald Trump assumes office again. Critics argue it favours a lottery system over those who have lived in the US illegally while contributing taxes or waiting years for visas. Supporters claim it has brought order to the border and reduced illegal crossings.

Rosales' home has become a haven for migrants, mainly Cubans, who affectionately call her "Tía Martha." She provides meals, celebrates birthdays, and ensures they reach their CBP One appointments. Dayron Garcia, a Cuban doctor planning to settle in Houston, described Rosales' house as feeling like family and praised CBP One as a "salvation."

The Evolution of CBP One

CBP One was introduced during Trump's first term to streamline customs inspections and visa extensions. The Biden administration expanded its use for migrants to replace an inconsistent system of exemptions during a pandemic-related asylum ban. It gained popularity among Cubans, Venezuelans, Haitians, and Mexicans due to advocacy within these communities.

Illegal crossings by Cubans dropped significantly under CBP One from nearly 35,000 in April 2022 to just 97 by September. Despite high demand for appointments—280,000 people vying for 1,450 daily slots—winners must report to a border crossing within three weeks.

Migrant Life at the Border

Migrant shelters along Mexico's border are now filled with individuals seeking online appointments. In Rosales' neighbourhood, where makeshift homes line the streets, migrants engage in daily activities like watching TV and playing billiards while waiting for their appointments. Those without appointments constantly check their phones for available slots at eight US border crossings.

Rosales works tirelessly throughout the night. A helper drives an SUV she bought with her retirement pay from her bank job to shuttle guests from her house to Tijuana's main border crossing with San Diego for early morning appointments. By 3 am, she is at a television station cleaning and fetching coffee for journalists who provide her with immigration updates.

Challenges and Support

Rosales dropped out of school in third grade but learned enough from reading the Bible to understand texts. Enrique Lucero, Tijuana's former director of migrant affairs, helped her establish a legal entity for fundraising and provided emergency support when needed. "She worries about them. She cries for them," Lucero said about Rosales' dedication to helping migrants.

The exodus from Cuba intensified during the Covid-19 pandemic and after 2021 protests. Nicaragua eased travel rules for Cubans flying from Havana, allowing them to avoid dangerous routes like the Darien Gap jungle. By spring 2022, Cubans were among the top nationalities crossing illegally into the US.

Yoandis Delgado, another Cuban migrant who reached Mexico via Nicaragua in 2023, described CBP One as "a gift from God." He paid USD 1,000 to a smuggler and faced multiple robberies by Mexican authorities before reaching the US border.

Uncertain Future for CBP One

The Biden administration views CBP One as successful in creating legal pathways at the border while deterring illegal crossings. Officials note that people facing life-threatening situations can still approach border crossings without appointments to plead their cases.

However, anxiety is growing among migrants in Mexico fearing Trump's potential termination of CBP One. Even those already in the US feel uneasy since parole expires after two years. A Senate bill stalled in 2023 aimed to prohibit using the app for admitting migrants.

Figueredo plans to obtain a green card under a 1966 law applicable to Cubans. She frequently writes to Rosales about her busy life as a medical assistant in Houston and asks about Rosales' health: "I hope you’re very happy," she wrote.