The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) recently filed Freedom of Information Act litigation against the U.S. government in regards to information regarding immigration since the “lawful pathways” strategy was implemented over the last year. Of the findings, one of the most interesting was that the U.S. government allowed entry to about 57,000 Mexican migrants through the CBP One smartphone app.
"According to a CIS article, the CBP One smartphone app essentially allows illegal immigrants to schedule their crossing through a land port of entry," said CIS. The government supposedly created it to better control persecuted individuals traveling from critical situations towards the U.S. Those who use it are granted two-year renewable work permits.
Former immigration judge and current CIS colleague Andrew R. Arthur stated in an interview that there's little preventing individuals from immigrating into America using the CBP One smartphone app, whether their situation is serious or not. "Very few of the Mexican nationals crossing the border would qualify, as there isn’t evidence that the Mexican government tortures its citizens," said Arthur. Therefore, Arthur added that "few if any Mexicans ever have valid claims for U.S. protection."
Some people, like CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan according to a CIS report, believe this is a workaround for Mexican immigrants because very few would meet asylum eligibility under normal conditions. Several court rulings have declared that crime and gang violence prevalent in Mexico doesn't warrant someone asylum.
CIS has proposed a theory due to these factors suggesting that measures like the CBP One smartphone app were introduced by the current administration intentionally to permit asylum to Mexican migrants without formally legalizing it.
"In total, there were about 250,000 migrants from nearly 100 countries that used the CBP One smartphone app method of entering the country," said CIS in an article. The report also indicates more people from Mexico than any other nation utilized this means of entry. Additionally reported was that over 7,300 foreign nationals from 24 nations of national security and terrorism concern also gained entry using this method.
