NOGALES, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Nogales Port of Entry, once a vital location for migrants legally seeking asylum in the United States, is seeing significant changes after the Trump administration shut down the CBP One app.
The app was previously used to secure entry appointments, allowing migrants to pursue asylum claims legally. Pending appointments were also canceled, leaving many migrants in limbo.
At the DeConcini Port of Entry, the atmosphere appears quieter.
Previously, migrants who received approval through CBP would enter here for their asylum hearings.
Now, many of those individuals are stranded in shelters on the Mexican side of the border.
Dora Rodriguez, with the non-profit Salvavision, has been delivering supplies to these shelters.
She noted that while the shelters are not as overcrowded as expected, the situation remains dire.
Many migrants anticipated the app's shutdown and the cessation of legal entries, leading some to weigh risky alternatives.
“Some people are saying they’ll consider crossing illegally, while others are adamant that they won’t risk those dangers again,” said Rodriguez.
She added that others are preparing to leave voluntarily rather than face deportation empty-handed.
“There’s a large crowd now saying, ‘I’m not going to wait until they deport me.’ They’re taking their belongings and going home.”
Meanwhile, visitors to Nogales, Sonora, such as Tim McCrorie, expressed concern about how these changes could alter the region's friendly atmosphere.
The Trump administration has not yet announced any immediate replacement for the CBP One app, leaving questions about how the asylum process will proceed.
For now, uncertainty continues to grow on both sides of the border.
