The Department of Homeland Security has revoked legal protections for approximately 985,000 migrants who entered the United States under the Biden administration's CBP One app program, ordering them to leave the country "immediately." The move, announced Monday, marks one of the most sweeping reversals of immigration policy since President Donald Trump returned to office in January.
CBP One, a central feature of President Biden's border strategy, allowed asylum seekers to book appointments at U.S. ports of entry and remain temporarily in the country under parole, often with work authorization. Between January 2023 and December, more than 936,000 people were permitted entry under the program, according to DHS figures.
"Canceling these paroles is a promise kept to the American people to secure our borders and protect national security," the agency said in a statement. DHS added that Biden "abused the parole authority to allow millions of illegal aliens into the U.S., which further fueled the worst border crisis in U.S. history."
Migrants affected by the revocation are being sent email notices directing them to voluntarily depart using the rebranded CBP Home app-an updated version of the same digital platform they originally used to enter. Those who entered the U.S. under separate programs such as Uniting for Ukraine or Operation Allies Welcome are not impacted.
This marks the second major rollback of Biden-era immigration pathways in recent weeks. Last month, DHS announced that parole protections would end on April 24 for 532,000 nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who entered the U.S. under a separate program requiring financial sponsorship and self-arranged flights.
The termination of the CBP One program has drawn sharp criticism from immigrant rights groups. Heidi Altman, vice president of policy at the National Immigration Law Center, said, "For many people who leave the United States, there may never be a lawful option for return... The administration should be ashamed."
President Trump halted all new CBP One entries on his first day in office, leaving thousands of migrants with scheduled appointments stranded at the U.S.-Mexico border. The administration has also moved to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 1.1 million migrants, including 600,000 Venezuelans and 500,000 Haitians, though legal injunctions have delayed some of those plans.
Aerial immigration enforcement is expected to increase in the coming weeks as federal agencies prepare for expanded deportation operations. Legal challenges may also emerge, particularly around the retroactive nature of the parole cancellations.
