Mexico rushes to help stranded migrants after Trump shuts down CBP One app

The Mexican government announced the Mexico Embraces You program, which includes economic and social services for Mexicans deported from the United States. This measure is in response to the strict immigration policy that President Donald Trump announced on January 20, and that has already begun to materialize with the closure of the CBP One app.

CBP One was launched in 2020, allowing foreign sellers to schedule cargo inspections. In 2023, the Biden administration expanded its duties to include unauthorized migrants seeking asylum. This Monday, the day of the inauguration, an order from Donald Trump ended the program, and thousands of scheduled appointments were canceled.

Rosa Icela Rodríguez, head of the Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB), presented the project during the morning conference of the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum. Rodríguez explained that the strategy includes economic support of 2,000 pesos (about $100) for Mexican citizens who lack resources to return to their communities of origin. This support will be provided through the new Bienestar Paisano Card.

Federal authorities added that the plan is designed to allow Mexican migrants to join existing social programs, which include pensions for the elderly and people with disabilities, scholarships for elementary and high school students, and the Sembrando Vida initiatives , Mujeres con Bienestar, Jóvenes Construyendo el Futuro, and Salud Casa por Casa.

Repatriated Mexicans will be affiliated with the Mexican Institute of Social Security. The program will give them access to insurance for sickness and maternity, work risks, disability and life, retirement, and for allowances in advanced age and old age. They can also enjoy all the social benefits and childcare services provided by the Social Security Act. The benefits will extend to spouses or partners, children and parents of the deportee.

Rodriguez adds that Mexicans expelled from the United States will also receive legal advice to help them obtain identification documents, such as birth certificates, voter credentials, and the Clave Única de Registro de Población (Unique Population Registry Code) . They also have access to social housing support provided by the Ministry of Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development and the Institute of the National Housing Fund for Workers (Instituto del Fondo Nacional de la Vivienda para los Trabajadores ).

The SEGOB trained public servants of the governments of Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Chiapas, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Puebla, Michoacán, Guanajuato, State of Mexico, Sinaloa and Jalisco for the proper implementation of the Mexico embraces the floor. He claims to have coordinated efforts with the Human Rights Commission and the Business Coordination Council.

Trump’s possible mass deportations

Donald Trump confirmed in his inaugural address that he will declare a state of emergency the Mexican border to stop what he called “an invasion of illegal intruders.” He promised to act “with historic speed and force”. His statements began to have an effect.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed that the CBP One mobile app features that allow undocumented immigrants to submit advance information and schedule appointments at eight Southwest border ports of entry are no longer available. The agency added that appointments scheduled through the app have been canceled.

The app was launched in 2021 to simplify the flow of immigration and procedures in the border region. The tool was designed to serve undocumented migrants from central and northern Mexico and “avoid border pressure from those arriving seeking asylum,” according to Mexican authorities.

Sheinbaum anticipated its closure in a statement from the SEGOB, released before Trump’s inauguration. She said that “this application has helped migrants not to have to go to the northern border to wait for asylum. We will propose that this application or other applications are allowed.”

Juan Ramón de la Fuente, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, announced the creation of the ConsulApp platform. The system will have three essential functions: notify the nearest Mexican consulate to initiate legal assistance in real time, notify family members or trusted contacts selected by the migrant about their legal situation, and directly notify the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will oversee the due process.

The Mexican president emphasized that migrants are essential to the economy, and reaffirmed his support for Mexican nationals through the 53 consulates throughout the United States.

This story originally appeared WIRED in spanish and was translated from the Spanish.