On March 18, 2025, U.S. President Trump (Donald Trump) issued a video message through the official White House website, urging illegal foreigners in the United States to voluntarily depart through the “CBP Home” mobile application of the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency, with the possibility of legal return in the future.
In the 1.5-minute video, Trump stated, “Illegal immigrants in the United States can choose to depart voluntarily through a simple process or face forced deportation, which will not be a pleasant experience.”
“The Biden administration allowed over a million illegal immigrants to enter the United States through the CBP application. Now, my administration has launched the ‘CBP Home’ application, providing an easy way for illegal immigrants in the U.S. to voluntarily depart. If they choose to do so, there may be a chance for legal return in the future. However, if they don’t seize this opportunity, they will be located, deported, and never allowed to re-enter the U.S., never to return.”
“Using the ‘CBP Home’ application to voluntarily leave the U.S. is the safest option for illegal immigrants and also aids in law enforcement efforts. It also saves American taxpayers’ money and precious resources of CBP and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), which should be focused on combating dangerous criminals, that is our priority.”
The Department of Homeland Security announced the “CBP Home” application on March 10, featuring a function that allows users to notify CBP about their self-departure plan by clicking a button.
The “CBP Home” app will replace the “CBP One” app from the Biden era, which allowed foreign immigrants to schedule asylum requests at ports of entry.
This new application is part of the Trump administration’s “Remain Out and Leave Now” initiative, aimed at preventing illegal entry and encouraging those who have entered illegally or are waiting in the immigration court system to voluntarily return at their own expense to their home countries.
The DHS stated that promoting the departure of immigrants from the U.S. can alleviate the burden on law enforcement agencies. President Trump has authorized law enforcement to arrest and expel immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally.
The CBP Home application is available for download from Google Play and the Apple Store.
Recently, the Trump administration had required illegal entrants to register with the government and undergo fingerprinting. However, as the government mainly did not know where the illegal immigrants resided, the threat of deportation could deter them from registering.
It is estimated that there are over 11 million illegal foreign immigrants in the U.S. For them, it is advisable to contact an attorney beforehand to understand the policies and procedures through proper channels, and avoid spreading or believing in misinformation.