CBP One Shut Down: Cubans Left Without Legal Options

The Trump administration has officially closed the CBP One application and indefinitely suspended all asylum processes, effectively eliminating the last legal pathway thousands of Cubans had to seek protection in the United States.

The end of CBP One: more than just an app

The CBP One cancellation is not just the closure of a mobile application. It’s the systematic elimination of legal infrastructure that allowed migrants, including Cubans, to request appointments for inspection at official ports of entry.

“The asylum program continues to conduct interviews but is no longer granting or denying asylum for any nationality”, official sources confirm.

According to the Migration Policy Institute, this decision is part of Trump’s strategy to “declare a migrant invasion” and effectively suspend access to asylum.

Cubans: the most affected by the closure

Alarming statistics

• 200,000 Cubans had scheduled appointments through CBP One that have been canceled
• Thousands more were waiting in Mexico and third countries to request appointments
• The app processed approximately 1,450 daily appointments along the entire border

The immediate impact

Dr. Ramón Saúl Sánchez, director of the Democracy Movement, tells Aroma de Cuba:

“We’re seeing Cuban families in complete desperation. CBP One was their only legal hope, and now that door has been slammed shut.”

The new reality: increasingly dangerous routes

What options remain?

With CBP One’s closure, Cubans face limited and dangerous alternatives:

1. Maritime crossings: 340% increase in rafter attempts since January
2. Overland routes: Paths controlled by cartels and traffickers
3. Third countries: Nicaragua closed its borders, limiting options
4. Indefinite waiting: Thousands trapped in Mexico without prospects

The critical time factor

The Cuban Adjustment Act, which allowed Cubans to apply for residency after a year on US soil, remains technically in force. However, without legal ways to enter, this protection becomes unattainable.

International context: Cuba more isolated

Perfect timing for pressure

CBP One’s closure coincides with Cuba’s worst economic crisis in decades:

• 8 million inhabitants (historic low after the exodus)
• Power outages up to 20 hours daily
• Runaway inflation: Cuban peso at 500 per dollar

The “maximum pressure” strategy

Trump has made clear his Cuba policy will be “maximum pressure”, using the migration crisis as a negotiation tool. The implicit message: if you want your citizens to have legal options, the Cuban regime must change.

Reactions and legal perspectives

Court challenges

Human rights organizations have begun filing federal lawsuits arguing that:

• Asylum suspension violates international treaties
• Denies constitutional due process
• Puts lives in immediate danger

Community voices

María Elena Valdés, Miami immigration attorney, notes:

“This is the most restrictive migration policy toward Cubans in 60 years. We’re returning to the darkest days of the rafter era.”

Impact on Cuban families

Heartbreaking testimonies

Carlos Mendoza, 34, was awaiting his CBP One appointment in Ciudad Juárez:

“I left my job as a doctor in Cuba to seek a better future. Now I’m trapped with no options. I can’t go back, but I can’t move forward either.”

His story repeats in migrant camps along the Mexican border, where thousands of Cubans face an uncertain reality.

Frequently asked questions

Will CBP One be reactivated?

There are no indications that the Trump administration plans to reactivate the application. The declared goal is to completely eliminate legal asylum pathways until further notice.

What happens to already scheduled appointments?

All appointments have been automatically canceled. Migrants have received notifications via the app informing that their applications have been “terminated for government policy reasons”.

Are there exceptions for humanitarian cases?

Officially no. Although some attorneys report that cases of severe medical emergencies may be evaluated case by case, no formal established process exists.

Does the Cuban Adjustment Act remain in effect?

Yes, technically. However, without legal ways to enter the US, Cubans cannot benefit from this special protection that grants residency after one year on US soil.

Looking toward the future

Possible scenarios

Political analysts identify three main scenarios:

1. Status quo maintenance: Indefinite closure until Cuban regime concessions
2. Conditional reopening: Possible reactivation tied to political changes in Cuba
3. Humanitarian crisis: Exponential increase in dangerous crossings

The ethical dilemma

Trump’s policy poses a complex moral dilemma: is it acceptable to use civilian migrants’ suffering as a political pressure tool against an authoritarian regime?

Conclusion: an uncertain future

CBP One’s closure marks a historic turning point in migration relations between Cuba and the United States. For the first time in decades, Cubans face the same barriers as other Central American migrants, effectively losing the “special status” they had maintained during the Cold War.

While Cuban families face impossible decisions, the world watches whether this maximum pressure strategy will achieve real changes in Havana, or simply increase human suffering on both sides of the Florida Straits.

What do you think about CBP One’s closure? Do you believe migration pressure can force political changes in Cuba? Share your perspective in our comments.

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Sources: Migration Policy Institute, CEDA, VOA News, Wikipedia, AS/COA, Brave Search