Mexican authorities warned immigrants at the southern border today about the imminent end of 'CBP One', the application from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection that allows managing asylum appointments from Mexico, following Donald Trump's return to the White House.
Immigrants encountered a notice from the National Immigration Institute (INM) on Monday stating that they will no longer be assisted in its offices in Tapachula, the largest city on the border with Central America, for those seeking to process the continuation of their 'CBP One' application, as EFE observed on the ground.
A federal agent announced with a megaphone in hand that the INM will only assist those with appointments until January 30.
"As you are aware, as of today we still do not have reliable and verifiable information to continue providing assistance for the upcoming dates and, should the program continue, it will be communicated through the social communication area of the National Immigration Institute," the official stated.
During Joe Biden's presidency (2021-2025), the United States launched the 'CBP One' application for immigrants at the Mexico border to apply for asylum; it was enabled on August 23 in the states of Chiapas and Tabasco, where the Mexican government created a support program for processing and transportation.
"The scheme called 'CBP One' we do not know if it will remain or not, but what we want is that if it disappears, something similar is established, because it has had results," declared the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, at her morning press conference on Monday.
But at the southern border, immigration agents acknowledge that there is no "reliable information" to allow for continued attention related to this program for those with appointments starting next February.
A Venezuelan immigrant who has the multiple immigration form (FMM) to move freely throughout Mexican territory requested the immigration authority not to stop the assistance.
"I already have the plane tickets, for all four (family members) it was 26,000 pesos, I plan to travel with this until it expires (the transfer permit) and arrive in Mexico City to get another one," declared this citizen to EFE, who preferred to remain anonymous.
Trump plans to sign ten executive orders on immigration this Monday, including one aimed at strengthening border control with the deployment of military forces, declaring Mexican cartels as terrorists, and reviving the 'Remain in Mexico' immigration program. Nonetheless, another Venezuelan immigrant named Brener, who already has an appointment for January 30, declared that he does not lose hope.
"We are waiting to see if the assistance continues or not... we will wait, maybe we will get lucky, because we do not know what will happen."
