Now that Trump has terminated CBP One, what options do migrants and asylum seekers have?

One of Donald Trump’s first actions as the new President of the United States was to end the operations of CBP One, an application with which migrants could apply for asylum. Not only will it stop operating as of Monday, but all appointments that were already booked have been canceled, meaning that thousands of applicants have been left without the possibility of applying for asylum and reaching the United States through one of the ports of entry at the southern border.

In 2023, the administration of former president Joe Biden made the CBP One application — developed by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) — the only way to apply for asylum at the southern border. The program has allowed more than one million people seeking protection from violence, poverty, or persecution to legally enter the U.S. with the ability to work.

Remain in Mexico

Besides ending the use of CBP One, Trump announced that he would reinstate the Remain in Mexico policy, established in 2018 during his first administration by then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Under the policy, individuals who entered the U.S. illegally or entered without proper documentation and sought asylum would be sent to Mexico to await resolution of their immigration proceedings.

What has Mexico said?

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has expressed her disagreement with the policy and “unilateral deportations” of Mexican nationals living in the United States, and stated that her administration is already working on an option to be able to request asylum from anywhere in the country and from other states. Juan Ramon de la Fuente, Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs, expressed a desire to adjust policies and reach agreements with the new administration.

What are the alternatives for migrants?

Prior to Trump’s announcement, asylum seekers in the United States had several alternatives to using the CBP One application, although it is not yet clear whether they will be viable under the new policies. Asylum seekers could present themselves at a U.S. port of entry and declare their intent to apply for asylum, which involved wait times or detention, depending on the circumstances. They also could be processed directly by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at border crossings or checkpoints.

Those already in the United States had the option of filing Form I-589 with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This asylum application was to be filed within one year of arrival, barring exceptional circumstances. However, Trump could impose a policy of zero tolerance for illegal migrants and deport them without them being able to file the form.

Among the alternatives available to some migrants (depending on their country of origin) is to apply for humanitarian parole for urgent cases or to attempt to enter the United States with a valid visa.

Humanitarian parole is a temporary immigration status granted by the U.S. government to individuals who need to enter the country for urgent humanitarian reasons or for significant public benefit. It is typically used in emergency cases for a critical humanitarian purpose, such as medical treatment, family reunification, or the need for essential assistance in disaster relief efforts, among other situations where denial of entry would cause hardship to the applicant.

Asylum seekers could also seek assistance from legal aid organizations and NGOs, which offer guidance, legal advice and help with the application process. Similarly, it is recommended to consult an immigration lawyer to navigate the complex legal landscape and choose the best path based on individual circumstances.

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