US Introduces Mobile App To Assist Illegal Migrants Who Want To Leave the Country Voluntarily
- The US Department of Homeland Security is promoting the CBP Home mobile app as a tool for undocumented immigrants to self-deport
- The initiative forms part of the Trump administration's broader crackdown on illegal immigration across the country
- DHS has outlined five steps that eligible individuals can follow to arrange a voluntary departure on their own terms
- US-based immigration lawyer Akua Poku, in a comment to YEN.com.gh, opened up on the factors to consider when it comes to voluntary departure
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The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is actively encouraging undocumented immigrants to leave the country voluntarily, promoting the CBP Home mobile app as the primary tool through which individuals can arrange their own departure.
The campaign, driven by the Trump administration, presents self-deportation as a controlled alternative to forced removal, framing it as an option that allows undocumented individuals to exit the country on their own terms rather than face enforcement action.
Source: Getty Images
How the CBP Home app works
DHS has outlined five stages that eligible individuals must complete within the app to arrange a voluntary departure.
The initiative is structured to give undocumented migrants a degree of flexibility in how and when they leave, provided they engage with the process through the official platform.
The process begins with downloading the CBP Home app, which is available on both iOS and Android devices through the App Store and Google Play, respectively.
Upon opening the application, users are prompted to select their preferred language from a range of available options before proceeding through the steps.
Users must then fill out the required information and submit a current self-photo. They must also provide the required information and documentation through the secure mobile application.
Fourthly, users have the option to include family members who will be departing with them by adding their information to the application.
The final step is to review the application and submit it for processing through the CBP Home app.
The CBP Home app was previously used during the Biden administration to manage asylum appointment scheduling at the southern border, but has since been repurposed under the Trump administration as part of a wider suite of immigration enforcement tools.
Part of a broader enforcement push
The voluntary departure campaign sits within a broader strategy by the Trump administration to reduce the number of undocumented individuals in the United States.
Authorities have framed voluntary self-removal as a more dignified option compared to detention and forced deportation, while simultaneously ramping up enforcement operations across the country.
Officials have not specified any deadlines tied to the voluntary departure offer, nor have they detailed what consequences individuals may face if they choose not to engage with the programme.
The move signals the administration's intent to use digital infrastructure alongside physical enforcement as part of its immigration reduction efforts.
Deportation could affect future US travel
US-based immigration lawyer Akua Poku, in a comment to YEN.com.gh, explained that people facing deportation may have the option of voluntary departure, stating that a deportation order could affect their future travel to the US.
“A deportation order may prevent a person from coming to the U.S. for ten years, twenty years, or permanently, or it may make them ineligible for certain immigration benefits. There are other options, such as agreeing to leave the United States under a process called Voluntary Departure.”
US to deport 355 West Africans
In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that the US has announced that 355 people from West Africa are set to be deported from the country.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released the names and photos of those to be deported.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
