The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has officially launched the new CBP Home app, which includes a self-deportation feature. The new app replaces the CBP One app introduced by the previous administration in 2020. It was a tool for truckers to schedule cargo inspections and newcomers crossing the Mexico-USA border to provide biometric data and schedule immigration-related appointments in the USA. 

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The new public-facing government mobile application has a feature called ‘Intent to Depart’. It was built to help illegal aliens notify the US government that they intend to leave the land of the free voluntarily. This new app is part of the USA’s new immigration strategy to decrease the amounts of illegal border crossings.

The new tool is necessary for every illegal immigrant who intends to comply with President’s Executive Order 14159, ‘Protecting the American People Against Invasion.’ The executive order was signed on the President’s first day at the White House, on Jan 20th, 2025. It aims to halt illegal crossings and ensure that the federal government protects the American people by faithfully executing immigration laws. 

The new feature is part of an effort of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).It which encourages undocumented immigrants to ‘stay out’ or ‘leave now’ if they wish to legally enter the US one day. Kristi Noem, Secretary of the DHS, has vowed that if illegal aliens refuse to comply, the government will find them, deport them, and they “will never return.” 

Additional services offered by CBP Home

The new app also offers other services that may come in handy to people. It allows travelers to apply and pay for I-94 up to a week before arrival in the USA. The new app also provides information on border wait times. It helps truckers set up cargo inspections and helps bus operators submit manifests in advance.

What happens to CBP One users?

All CBP One app users are now redirected to the CBP Home app. The old CBP One app collected vast amounts of sensitive data and photos of non-citizens, stored on government servers. These were likely part of databases readily available to the new administration to explore. Folks hoping to seek asylum might end up on the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation list. This could happen if they refuse to self-deport. 

Privacy concerns: How to protect your digital footprint

No one knows how this will play out in the long term. But one thing is for sure – time flies quickly, and the government often makes U-turns. Suppose you wish the government to know less about you, whether you are a US citizen or an asylum seeker. In that case, you might want to explore ways to minimize digital prints and online presence. High-end VPN solutions can blanket your online life. If you are not doing anything wrong, government agencies such as the IRS and ICE and private companies such as Big Tech do not need to know your whereabouts or have access to your sensitive information.

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