(KGTV) — It was quiet Monday afternoon at the holding area between the border walls in San Ysidro. Adriana Jasso with the American Friends Service Committee is ready with water and snacks if anyone shows up. She's been volunteering for nearly two years.
"I think I have a moral obligation to do whatever I can to help the people on the other side," said Jasso.
Shortly after President Donald Trump took the oath of office, a popular App used by migrants seeking asylum was gone.
A message reads that the CBP 1 App that allowed undocumented immigrants to submit advance information and schedule appointments ahead of time is no longer available.
Since January of 2023, The App has allowed nearly a million people to legally enter the US with eligibility to work on two-year permits. Supporters say it's helped bring order to the border and reduced illegal crossings.
"It’s concerning the absence of the App or having that as an option, may push, including families with children to take a risk that they wouldn’t have to take if there was an orderly official way of applying," said Jasso.
Critics say the App prioritized a lottery system over people who have long lived in the US illegally while paying taxes and people who have waited years for visas.
President Trump has promised a massive crackdown on illegal immigration that includes mass deportations. He's also threatening to try to end the right to citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents who are undocumented. Immigration Attorney Tammy Lin says that would be a violation of the constitution.
"I think it’s a lot of bluster. It’s a constitutional right. Birthright citizenship. It's going to need an act of Congress. It's going to need approval from many of the states. So, just saying in an executive order I’m going to end it, doesn’t do much," said Lin.
But it does create fear in San Diego's undocumented community.
"A large majority of our families are mixed status; we have some that are undocumented. We have some that are born here. We have siblings who have been here for a long time where maybe some have status, and some do not," said Lin.
