As the U.S. prepares for the 2024 presidential election, immigration remains a central topic in the political arena. Former President and Republican nominee Donald Trump, during a campaign stop in Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin, on Saturday, September 28, criticized the government’s handling of the immigration process, specifically targeting the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) One App.
The CBP One App, launched during Trump’s presidency in October 2020, is a mobile platform designed to streamline various CBP services. Among its many features, it allows migrants to schedule appointments at ports of entry and enables carriers to request cargo inspections. Trump, however, took issue with the app, implying that it was making it easier for immigrants to enter the country, and mocked the concept during his speech. report from Time Magazine.
“They have a phone app so that people can come into our country… these are smart immigrants, I guess because most people don’t have any idea what the hell a phone app is,” Trump told supporters gathered at the Prairie Du Chien Area Arts Center, a venue in the small Mississippi River town of about 5,500 residents.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign quickly capitalized on Trump’s remarks, posting a video clip of the moment on X (formerly Twitter), allowing users to react. Harris, the Democratic nominee for President, has employed a strategy of sharing Trump’s speeches to amplify his statements, relying on social media virality to engage voters.
Trump’s comments about the app triggered widespread reactions on social media, with many expressing disbelief at his suggestion that most people are unfamiliar with phone apps. Former tennis star Andy Roddick humorously commented on X, “I feel like most people know what a phone app is.” Other users echoed similar sentiments, pointing out that even Trump owns a social media platform, Truth Social, which has its own app.
“It’s not 2004 anymore. It’s 2024,” one user wrote, highlighting how ingrained apps have become in everyday life. Another asked, “How out of touch with reality do you have to be to believe most people don’t know what a phone app is?”
Trump’s speech in Wisconsin was peppered with other light-hearted moments, including a comment about a fly on stage. “Oh, there’s a fly. Oh, I wonder where the fly came from,” Trump said, in an offhand remark during a segment of his speech on immigration. The light-hearted moment prompted online users to recall the viral incident in 2020 when a fly famously landed on then-Vice President Mike Pence’s head during a debate against Kamala Harris.
Trump’s disdain for the CBP One App, which he has previously labeled as the “Kamala phone app for smuggling illegals,” was also a key talking point during his speech. Earlier in the month, he vowed on his Truth Social platform to shut down the app if re-elected. He claimed the app facilitated illegal immigration, despite it being a legal tool used to manage border crossings and appointments for asylum seekers.
The CBP One App gained renewed attention in January 2023 when the Biden administration expanded its use as part of new asylum policies implemented following the expiration of Title 42. The app allows migrants to schedule appointments to seek asylum in the U.S., but some immigration advocates argue that the platform is overwhelmed by demand, leaving many migrants unable to secure timely appointments.
Trump’s critique of the app was part of a broader discussion on border security, a central issue in his campaign. He accused the current administration of failing to secure the border effectively, pledging to take tougher action on immigration should he return to the White House. His comments followed Vice President Kamala Harris’ recent visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, where she reinforced the administration’s stance on immigration reform. told by Yahoo.
In her own speech in Arizona following the border visit, Harris rejected the notion that securing the border and treating migrants humanely were mutually exclusive goals. “I reject the false choice that suggests we must choose either between securing our border and creating a system that is orderly, safe, and humane,” she said. “We can and we must do both.”
Trump’s focus on immigration in Wisconsin is seen as a response to Harris’ heightened visibility on the issue. As the election approaches, both candidates are making their positions on immigration a key focal point of their campaigns, with Trump doubling down on his hardline stance and Harris aiming to present a balanced, humanitarian approach to border security.
