Senator Cory Booker sent a letter to the heads of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection on Monday criticizing the newly launched. CBP one – a mobile app that allows asylum seekers to secure an appointment with CBP to enter a US port.
“The United States is a beacon of hope for many people around the world who seek safety and freedom. Unfortunately, migrants now have to contend with the CBP One application as the only way to make an asylum appointment, which has experienced technical problems since its launch,” Booker told HuffPost in an emailed statement.
“We must ensure that our asylum processes are fair and just and protect those fleeing violence and persecution in a way that is consistent with our most fundamental national ideals,” he said.
The letter, first seen by HuffPost, comes as the Senate Judiciary Committee is set to hold a hearing on DHS oversight on Tuesday. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, one of the recipients of Booker’s letter, is scheduled to testify.
CBP One was launched in January as part of the Biden administration’s efforts to make border processing more efficient as Title 42 – a public health order that restricts immigration due to the coronavirus – expires in May. But CBP One, the so-called official DHS app, has had many problems including technical and access issues for many families.
CBP releases a limited number of appointments each day, but migrants have reported many problems trying to secure these appointments. Many of them do not have cell phones that can access the internet or any phone. Poor mobile phone connectivity and service is also a concern.
“Although the CBP One application is as efficient, user-friendly, fair, and inclusive as possible – that’s me hope one day will – it will still be inherently discriminatory,” read Booker’s letter, noting the individual resources needed to successfully navigate the application.
When DHS first launched the application – which was the only way for Haitians, Nicaraguans, Cubans and Venezuelans to seek humanitarian parole – it was also only available in English and Spanish, despite the fact that the majority of Haitians only speak Haitian Creole. In February, CBP added a Haitian Creole translation, but error messages still appear only in English, Booker notes. Appointments are not accessible to anyone who cannot read.
Migrants are also required to take a picture and enter how they traveled – by land, plane or boat – but many say the app fails to register their photos because they are black or have darker skin.
“I remain concerned that the technology used to capture darker-skinned faces has not been adequately tested and is structurally disadvantaging black asylum seekers and urge the agency to address the issue,” Booker said.
Pregnant, nursing mothers and immigrants with large families also have problems with the CBP One process.
The senator said that although CBP and State Department officials have acknowledged the problems reported by users, more improvements are needed.
“While the expansion of opportunities for asylum seekers to have their claims heard is important, I am disappointed that precautions were not taken before the government made the CBP One application a way to schedule appointments,” Booker said.