In McAllen, Texas, Hubert Montoya found himself laughing in disbelief upon receiving an email from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The email, which instructed him to vacate the country immediately or face the risk of deportation, seemed particularly far-fetched considering Montoya is a U.S. citizen. “I just thought it was absurd,” reflected Montoya, an immigration attorney based in Austin, Texas.
This incident appears to have stemmed from a mishap related to the Trump administration’s overturning of a policy associated with the Biden era. This particular policy had permitted individuals to reside and work legally in the U.S. on a temporary basis. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is currently in the process of quietly revoking two-year permits granted through an online appointment system called CBP One, which facilitated entry for over 900,000 people at U.S. border crossings with Mexico starting January 2023.
Unlike the highly publicized rescindment of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and humanitarian parole for individuals from countries like Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, the cancellation of CBP One permits has been notably low-key. These previous policy changes were accompanied by official notices in the Federal Register and press releases, and they faced legal pushback from advocacy groups leading to judicial halts. In contrast, the CBP One permit revocations began without announcement, arriving in the inboxes of recipients as early as the end of March. Some emails demanded immediate departure, while others allowed a grace period of seven days. Alarmingly, even U.S. citizens, such as Timothy J. Brenner, a Connecticut-born lawyer based in Houston, received these notices. Brenner stated on April 11 that he was told to leave the U.S. and voiced concerns about potential targeting of immigration attorneys.
CBP has verified that it issued termination notices for temporary legal status under CBP One but has not provided specific numbers, noting merely that not all beneficiaries—totaling 936,000 by the end of December—received them. The agency acknowledged the possibility of citizens receiving these notices by mistake if beneficiaries submitted their contact information. It is now handling these erroneous cases individually.
Reports from online forums reveal widespread fear and confusion among recipients, which critics argue is the administration’s intended aim. For instance, Brenner mentioned three clients who, after receiving the notices, opted to return to El Salvador. “We’re getting reports from attorneys and folks who don’t know what to make of the notice,” explained Hillary Li, counsel for the Justice Action Center.
Under President Donald Trump’s administration, the acceptance of new arrivals through CBP One was suspended from his first day in office. Those already in the U.S. believed their stay was secure until their permits expired. However, the unexpected arrival of cancellation notices shattered this sense of security. “It is time for you to leave the United States,” was the stark message opening these letters.
“It’s really confusing,” said Robyn Barnard, senior director for refugee advocacy at Human Rights First. She highlighted the chaos felt by individuals who were following their community conversations online and witnessing some friends receive such notices while others did not. Furthermore, attorneys have noted that some beneficiaries of CBP One may still be within a time frame to file for asylum or seek other forms of legal relief.
Notably, notices have also been dispatched to those whose removal orders had been suspended under different temporary protective measures. A federal judge in Massachusetts has paused deportations for over 500,000 individuals from countries like Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who arrived post-2022, having applied online with a financial sponsor and paying for their own travel to U.S. airports.
Maria, a Nicaraguan woman who fervently supported Trump and entered the U.S. through the affected pathway, expressed that the notice she received felt like “a bomb.” Despite the setback, Maria, who prefers to use only her middle name due to fears of detention and deportation, intends to keep working as a house cleaner in Florida while applying for asylum.