Immigrants seeking asylum on the southern border of the United States can now access a mobile application that allows them to schedule a time to call at one of eight ports in Texas, Arizona and California.
The Customs and Border Protection Bureau (CBP) implemented the application, called CBP One, and it is available in Spanish and English.
The mechanism allows the user, in addition to scheduling the appointment, to place his biographical information and a photo.
Although the Biden administration is touting the app as an option
more regulated and potentially quicker to cross the border, others fear migrants using it will have to upload personal information with no guarantee of entry. Also, they claim that not everyone has a cell phone or the ability to connect to the internet.
“To see the relevant vulnerability criteria that can justify a humanitarian exception, use the #CBPOne mobile application to start the process,” recommended Pete Flores, CBP’s chief official overseeing ports of entry, on his Twitter profile .
The launch of the application comes after the announcement of the extension of Title 42, a public health order introduced in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic that allows the government to swiftly expel migrants to stem the spread of the disease At the same time, a new immigration program was announced for Cubans, Haitians, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans, allowing them to enter the country and obtain a two-year work permit by having sponsors in the United States and entering by air.