One immigration attorney and community member share their thoughts after the Trump administration launched a self-deportation app. Mekahlo Medina reports for the NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 10, 2025.
The Trump Administration re-launched the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Monday with a new feature – self deportation.
The original “CBP One” app released during the Biden Administration functioned as a resource for immigrants. Most notably, it allowed migrants to schedule asylum appointments online, a feature used by thousands.
Via an executive order, the Trump Administration shut that variation of the app down just hours after formally taking office.
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The new “CBP Home” app does not explain immigration rights and has removed the feature to book an appointment with an immigration judge.
“Personally I don’t think there’s much of a benefit to the app,” said immigration attorney Gustavo Mora. “If you have never had any immigration history, then you have due process rights, and their rights include the ability to present your case in front of an immigration judge.”
Mora added the app is intended to collect data on undocumented immigrants.
“I think that by giving your personal information through the app, they could easily just find you, come knocking at your door, your house, or where you work and then come look for you and your family,” said South LA resident Estephania Sanchez.
In an online statement posted to the Homeland Security website, Secretary Kristi Noem wrote the following:
“The Biden Administration exploited the CBP One app to allow more than 1 million aliens to illegally enter the United States. With the launching of the CBP Home app, we are restoring integrity to our immigration system.
“The CBP Home app gives aliens the option to leave now and self-deport, so they may still have the opportunity to return legally in the future and live the American dream. If they don’t, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return.”
The website also notes that the “self-deportation is the safest option for illegal aliens, while preserving law enforcement resources.”
Immigration advocates say if immigrants do choose to self deport, they should do so through the embassy of their home country.
Immigrants who chose to use it will be asked to fill out biographical information including countries of citizenship, which country they plan to return to, their registration number, contact information, and to upload photos of themselves to confirm their identity.
The new app is part of a larger $200 million domestic and international ad campaign encouraging undocumented immigrants to “Stay Out and Leave Now.”
Those with the CBP One app still installed should now see it updated to the new version.
The Trump Administration has deported 37,660 immigrants through his first month in office, 33% less than 57,000 monthly average during the Biden administration.
According to the Migrant Policy Institute approximately 951,000 undocumented immigrants live in Los Angeles County, or just over 10% of the population.
