App Provides Option for Noncitizens to Request Appointment at Certain Land Ports of Entry
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that the new scheduling function in the CBP One mobile application is now live.
President Biden announced the new functionality last week as part of a number of additional border enforcement measures the Administration is taking to expand pathways for legal immigration, limit illegal immigration, and increase security.
Effective January 12, noncitizens located in Central or Northern Mexico who seek to travel to the United States may use the U.S. Customs and Border Protection CBP OneTM app to submit information in advance and schedule an appointment to present themselves at certain Southwest Border land ports of entry (POEs). At this time, due to court orders requiring DHS to continue implementing the CDC’s Title 42 public health order, only noncitizens who can be considered for a humanitarian exception may use CBP One. Under this order, CBP is authorized to except individuals on a case-by-case basis, based on the totality of circumstances, including considerations of humanitarian interests. Noncitizens utilizing CBP One must attest that they believe they meet certain identified vulnerability criteria and be prepared to substantiate this claim upon presentation at a POE. The application provides a safe and orderly way for certain noncitizens to present at POEs, unlike attempting to cross U.S. borders without authorization. A scheduled appointment through CBP One is not a guarantee of exception from the CDC Title 42 Order.
The use of CBP One is expected to reduce wait times and help ensure safe, orderly, and streamlined processing. It is open to noncitizens of any nationality, provided they are located in Central or Northern Mexico, and there is no cost to use the application. Noncitizens who are seeking an exception to the CDC Title 42 Order will be able to use the app to submit certain biographic and biometric information to CBP and schedule an appointment up to 14 days in advance at eight POEs:
Arizona: Nogales;
Texas: Brownsville, Eagle Pass, Hidalgo, Laredo, and El Paso; and
California: Calexico and San Ysidro.
Once the Title 42 order eventually lifts, individuals will be able to use the CBP One application for scheduling an appointment to present themselves for inspection and to initiate a protection claim instead of coming directly to a port of entry to wait. This new feature will significantly reduce wait times and crowds at U.S. ports of entry and allow for safe, orderly, and humane processing.
“The CBP One app is an innovative solution we are using to facilitate the safe and orderly arrival of noncitizens who believe they meet certain vulnerability criteria and are requesting a humanitarian exception to the CDC’s Title 42 Order,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “When Title 42 eventually lifts, this new feature will join one of the many tools and processes this Administration is providing for individuals to seek protection in a safe, orderly, and humane manner and to strengthen the security of our borders.”
Through a series of questions, CBP One will guide users to provide a live facial photograph and submit advance information that an undocumented noncitizen would normally provide during their inspection at a port of entry. Additionally, users must attest that when scheduling an appointment, that they, or a spouse or child accompanying them, meet specific vulnerability criteria for which they seek a humanitarian exception. Following a noncitizen’s arrival at a designated land port of entry for their scheduled appointment, a CBP officer will determine the appropriate processing disposition. These determinations will not be made prior to the in-person inspection, and the use of CBP One does not guarantee that an individual will be processed on a given date or time. Individuals can directly submit their information through this app themselves and do not require facilitation by a non-governmental organization.
CBP One is available now to schedule appointments starting January 18, 2023, with new days released daily at 9 a.m. EST up to 14 days in advance. The CBP One application is available at no cost in the Apple App Store or Google Play, as well as at www.cbpone.cbp.dhs.gov. The app is currently available in English and Spanish.
