McALLEN, Texas — Hubert Montoya, an immigration attorney in Austin, Texas, found it laughable when the Department of Homeland Security sent him an email instructing him to leave the country immediately or face deportation. Montoya is a U.S. citizen.
“I just thought it was absurd,” he stated.
The incident appears to be a mishap stemming from the Trump administration’s rollback of a Biden-era policy. This policy had allowed individuals to reside and work in the U.S. temporarily. Customs and Border Protection is quietly ending the two-year permits for individuals who utilized the CBP One app. This app allowed users to schedule appointments at U.S.-Mexico border crossings, facilitating the entry of over 900,000 people since January 2023.
The termination of CBP One permits has been handled with less public attention compared to the cancellation of Temporary Protected Status for people from countries previously considered unsafe and humanitarian parole for individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who had financial sponsors. These earlier actions involved official notices and press releases, but were subsequently halted by judges following lawsuits from advocacy groups.
CBP One cancellation notices began arriving in inboxes in late March without prior notification. Some recipients were told to leave immediately, while others were given seven days. U.S. citizens were among those targeted.
Timothy J. Brenner, a lawyer born in Connecticut and practicing in Houston, received a notice on April 11 instructing him to leave the U.S. He expressed concern that the administration might be targeting immigration attorneys through a specific list or database.
CBP confirmed in a statement that it had issued notices terminating temporary legal status under CBP One. While they did not specify the number of notices sent, they clarified that not all 936,000 beneficiaries (as of the end of December) were affected.
CBP explained that some notices might have been mistakenly sent to unintended recipients, including attorneys, if beneficiaries had provided contact information for U.S. citizens. They stated that they are addressing these situations on a case-by-case basis.
Online chat groups reflect the fear and confusion surrounding the notices, which critics suggest is the administration’s goal. Brenner reported that three of his clients who received the notices chose to return to El Salvador after being told to leave.
Hillary Li, counsel for the Justice Action Center, an advocacy group, stated that the lack of clarity regarding the number of people who received the notice is a significant issue. She noted that attorneys and others are unsure how to interpret the notice.
President Trump suspended CBP One for new arrivals on his first day in office, but those already in the U.S. believed they could remain until their two-year permits expired. The cancellation notices have disrupted this sense of stability, beginning with the phrase: “It is time for you to leave the United States.”
Robyn Barnard, senior director for refugee advocacy at Human Rights First, described the situation as confusing. She highlighted the anxiety experienced by those who entered through the CBP One process, as they hear rumors and see screenshots in community chats indicating that some individuals have received notices while others have not.
Attorneys point out that some CBP One beneficiaries may still have the option to file an asylum claim or seek other forms of relief within a one-year window.
Notices have also been sent to individuals whose removal orders are currently on hold under other forms of temporary protection. A federal judge in Massachusetts has temporarily blocked deportations for over 500,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans who arrived since late 2022 after applying online with a financial sponsor and flying to a U.S. airport at their own expense.
Maria, a 48-year-old Nicaraguan woman who supported Trump’s election and entered the U.S. through this pathway, described the notice as a “bomb” that “paralyzed me.”
Maria, who requested anonymity out of fear of detention and deportation, stated in a telephone interview from Florida that she would continue working as a house cleaner to support herself and would file for asylum.
—Salomon reported from Miami. Associated Press writers Rebecca Santana in Washington and Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed.
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