US citizens ordered to leave the country amid email glitch by U.S. Customs and Border Protection

In an effort to alert immigrants that the federal government is terminating parole for individuals who do not have lawful status to remain in the country, U.S.-born citizens have been told by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to leave the country immediately or risk consequences of being deported.

What we know:

It was an unintentional message sent by the Trump administration in their effort to get rid of another Biden-era policy that allowed people to live and work in the country temporarily. 

CBP is quietly revoking two-year permits for immigrants who used an online appointment app at U.S. border crossings with Mexico called CBP One, which brought in more than 900,000 people starting in January 2023. 

CBP One cancellation notices began landing in inboxes in late March without warning, some telling recipients to leave immediately and others giving them seven days. Targets included U.S. citizens.

What they're saying:

Raed Gonzalez, a U.S. citizen and immigration attorney, received a notification from the federal government. He says the message is causing confusion and was not well planned by the administration.

"They sent out a blast email to 936,000 people, but there's only a record of 900,000 people entering. Obviously, there were some unintended recipients," Gonzalez said.

The email Gonzalez references is dated April 11 from the Department of Homeland Security. It states: "It is time for you to leave the United States," encouraging self-deportation through the CBP Home app and warning, "Do not attempt to remain in the United States. The federal government will find you."

"I am not sure if this is part of a campaign to scare or intimidate individuals into leaving the country on their own or if this is really a mishap and nobody noticed," Gonzalez added.

Gonzalez says the messaging by DHS and the federal government is confusing and misleading, including commercials by Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem alerting immigrants to leave and stating they cannot return.

"Some people are truly going to believe this, and it is regretfully not true. We only hope they get guidance and consult with an immigration attorney who can inform them of their chances," Gonzalez said.

The other side:

CBP confirmed in a statement that it had issued notices terminating temporary legal status under CBP One. It did not say how many, just that they weren’t sent to all beneficiaries, which totaled 936,000 at the end of December. A spokesperson sent FOX 26 the following statement:

"CBP has issued notices terminating parole for individuals who do not have lawful status to remain. This process is not limited to CBP One users and does not currently apply to those paroled under programs such as U4U and OAW. CBP used the known email addresses of the alien to send notifications. If a non-personal email—such as an American citizen contact—was provided by the alien, notices may have been sent to unintended recipients. CBP is monitoring communications and will address any issues on a case-by-case basis. To be clear: If you are an alien, being in the United States is a privilege—not a right. We are acting in the best interest of the country and enforcing the law accordingly."

The Source: FOX 26's Jonathan Mejia spoke with impacted individuals and reached out to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for comment.

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