WASHINGTON - U.S. Border officials said on Thursday that asylum-seekers at the Mexico border can now use a mobile app to plan a time to gain entry into the United States.
This process is meant to discourage unauthorized crossings, which has been a major issue in southwest regions like Texas and Arizona.
The app, called CBP One, is available in English and Spanish and will allow migrants in Central and Northern Mexico who upload biographical information and a photo to request an appointment at one of eight ports in California, Arizona, and Texas.
CBP One is not a new app but was recently modified to help migrants seek asylum. Previously, the app was used to allow people crossing legally at land ports of entry to submit their information beforehand.
The updated version of the app was reviewed by President Biden last week. Days before his trip to the border patrol station in El Paso, Texas, Biden approved the CBP One App to help migrants gain entry into the United States.
The Biden administration is hopeful that the app will make the migration process more seamless for asylum seekers.
The plan aims to bolster restrictions for those entering the country through the southern border and will instead focus on assisting migrants from Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua.
With the new plan in place, in addition to the CBP One App, Biden advised asylum seekers to apply online before arriving at the border.
Do not, do not just show up at the border,” Biden said. "Stay where you are and apply legally from there.”
Republicans and Democrats alike have already begun criticizing Biden for opening the borders.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has been a chief critic of Biden over the years, blamed the president for allowing "an invasion in Texas."
For months, Abbott has overseen a state-funded program that buses migrants to various cities around the United States.
It is not yet known how Biden's plan to accept 30,000 migrants each month affects this program, but Abbott has already spoken out against the decision.
Abbott handed Biden a letter on Sunday when the POTUS visited the southern border. In the message, Abbott did not mince words about his disdain for Biden's border laws.
Your visit to our southern border with Mexico today is $20 billion too little and two years too late," Abbott wrote.
Moreover, your visit avoids the sites where mass illegal immigration occurs and sidesteps the thousands of angry Texas property owners who lives have been destroyed by your border policies,” the letter read.
Now, with access to the United States only a mobile click away, more pressure will be on Biden to keep things stable moving forward.
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