According to a report published by Todd Bensman, a Senior National Security Fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), new details have emerged regarding the CBP One mobile phone application. The report titled "Newly disclosed documents reveal unexpected scale of confidential 'CBP One' admission program" sheds light on the scope and scale of the program, which is part of the Biden Administration's "new lawful pathways" strategy for immigration.
The report suggests that the CBP One program is far larger than what has been officially disclosed. Initially unveiled in January 2023, CBP One was introduced as a digital tool to facilitate the entry of inadmissible aliens from Venezuela, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Cuba into the United States. These individuals would schedule appointments with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, allowing them to enter the country through a port of entry and receive temporary "humanitarian parole."
However, the data obtained through Freedom of Information Act litigation reveals that the scale of the program is much larger than anticipated. Nearly 250,000 foreign nationals have used the CBP One app to gain entry into the U.S. as of August 2023. Surprisingly, over 100,000 of these individuals originated from 93 countries other than the four initially targeted nations.
The report also raises concerns about the vetting process and the administration's decision to authorize the parole entries of individuals from countries designated by the U.S. government as being of national security concern. Among those paroled into the U.S. were "Special Interest Aliens" from 24 countries, including Iran, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Yemen, and others where terrorist organizations operate.
Furthermore, the report highlights the significant number of paroled individuals from countries like Mexico and Russia. More than 57,000 Mexican nationals and nearly 24,000 Russians were permitted entry under the CBP One program, raising questions about the criteria for their inclusion in a program initially designed for humanitarian intervention.
The report also reveals that the CBP One program began as early as May 2021, nearly 19 months before its public announcement in January 2023. During this time, over 23,000 individuals were allowed entry under the program without public acknowledgment.
The newly disclosed details about the CBP One program have brought its scope and scale into question. With a much larger number of individuals using the app than previously known, concerns are being raised about the effectiveness of the vetting process and the decision to grant parole entries to individuals from countries of national security concern. As debates surrounding immigration continue, the findings of this report will likely fuel further discussions and scrutiny of the CBP One program and its implementation.
