BREAKING: U.S. reps urge DHS to address major language access issues in the inhumane CBP One app
Earlier this month, on March 21, Representatives U.S. Representatives Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.), and Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), and 27 other House representatives called on the Department of Homeland Security to address serious concerns regarding the CBP One app, the primary mechanism used by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in managing asylum interview requests.
The letter came after work by human rights and language justice organizations including Respond Crisis Translation to raise the alarm about the innumerable and inexcusable translation errors, glitches, and other issues with CBP One.
Respond endorsed the letter alongside the American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International USA, Haitian Bridge Alliance, Kino Border Initiative, Lawyers for Good Government, National Immigrant Justice Center, Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Espacio Migrante A.C., The International Mayan League, The Quixote Center, Latino Policy Forum, and Justice in Motion.
The lawmakers wrote:
First and foremost, CBP’s decision to require asylum seekers to use the still-faulty CBP One app fundamentally undermines the accessibility of the asylum process. Because individuals seeking asylum at our southern border are required to pre-schedule an appointment through the app, the current process obstructs the right to seek asylum by forcing individuals to remain in Mexico while waiting for their asylum cases to be heard. . . . CBP One itself is technologically complex and has significant language limitations, creating inherent barriers for applicants who are not familiar with mobile devices or who speak a language other than the three currently offered in the app.
[...]
Since its launch, the CBP One app has only been offered in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. Many asylum seekers who do not speak these languages find themselves at a significant disadvantage and struggle to access critical information and navigate the complex asylum process. Even the individuals who do speak one of the three operating languages find themselves faced with poor translations.
These limitations are extremely problematic because the app is the only way for arriving asylum seekers to schedule an appointment and get screened for asylum. Individuals who cannot use CBP One due to language barriers, technical failures, or other obstacles and present at a port of entry must demonstrate to often-skeptical CBP officials that it was not possible to apply through the app. . . . There are real consequences for individuals who cannot use the app to schedule an appointment.
[emphasis added]