First migrants cross into U.S. from Mexico using mobile app
Migrants on Mexico's northern border on Wednesday began entering the United States using a mobile app designed to facilitate the process of applying for asylum, although several quickly reported difficulties in using the system.
This month, the Biden administration said it would broaden use of the so-called CBP One app to allow asylum seekers to enter their personal information as a pre-screening step for a U.S. appointment to request asylum.
"I'm really excited, I can't wait to see my family," said Alejandra, a Venezuelan migrant who entered El Paso, Texas from the border city of Ciudad Juarez, headed for Florida.
Giovanny Castellanos, another Venezuelan who has been waiting on the Mexican border for months to enter the United States, said he got an appointment quickly.
Castellanos, who spoke as he was lining up to enter Laredo, Texas, from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, recommended migrants avoid taking risks to cross and to use the app instead.
Since it was activated for pre-screening last week, the app has been in such demand that it is telling applicants it has run out of appointments, according to Mexican officials and a dozen migrants, some of whom shared phone screenshots with Reuters.
To receive a U.S. appointment, migrants first must go to a border entry point in Mexico determined by the app. Some migrants told Reuters the app only had appointments far from where they currently are.
Jose Huerta, a Venezuelan migrant in the border city of Ciudad Juarez, told Reuters the app said he could cross for his appointment from Tijuana, a city some 1,200 kilometers (746 miles) to the west opposite San Diego.
"I don't have money, now I have to walk," he said.
Traveling between border cities could expose more people to danger, and some migrant advocacy groups want the United States to provide more appointments to asylum-seekers to reduce risks.
"They need to increase the number of appointments per day, we're confident this will be the case," said Enrique Lucero, director of migration affairs in Tijuana.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not immediately reply to requests for comment from Reuters about the app.
"I'm really excited, I can't wait to see my family," said Alejandra, a Venezuelan migrant who entered El Paso, Texas from the border city of Ciudad Juarez, headed for Florida.
Giovanny Castellanos, another Venezuelan who has been waiting on the Mexican border for months to enter the United States, said he got an appointment quickly.
Castellanos, who spoke as he was lining up to enter Laredo, Texas, from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, recommended migrants avoid taking risks to cross and to use the app instead.
Since it was activated for pre-screening last week, the app has been in such demand that it is telling applicants it has run out of appointments, according to Mexican officials and a dozen migrants, some of whom shared phone screenshots with Reuters.
To receive a U.S. appointment, migrants first must go to a border entry point in Mexico determined by the app. Some migrants told Reuters the app only had appointments far from where they currently are.
Jose Huerta, a Venezuelan migrant in the border city of Ciudad Juarez, told Reuters the app said he could cross for his appointment from Tijuana, a city some 1,200 kilometers (746 miles) to the west opposite San Diego.
"I don't have money, now I have to walk," he said.
Traveling between border cities could expose more people to danger, and some migrant advocacy groups want the United States to provide more appointments to asylum-seekers to reduce risks.
"They need to increase the number of appointments per day, we're confident this will be the case," said Enrique Lucero, director of migration affairs in Tijuana.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not immediately reply to requests for comment from Reuters about the app.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
