Early last year, a program by the Biden administration was initiated early on to discourage illegal border crossings by allowing migrants to use a smartphone app to set up a meeting at international bridges, where U.S. officials determine whether they should be allowed to enter the country to apply for asylum. The app, named CBP One, was developed to become the main portal for the U.S. asylum system at the southern border.

Internal government documents show that in one year of implementing the program, migrants used CBP One more than 64.3 million times to apply for a nomination that would allow them to enter the U.S. through official border crossings. About 450,000 migrants have been allowed to enter the country through this process, CBS News reported.

The publication highlights the enormous demand among migrants to enter the U.S. and the desperation that many feel when trying to secure an entry opportunity in a context in which the Biden administration’s intention to use the app would be to discourage illegal entry at the border, initially offering a legal and orderly route to enter the country.

While the program has been praised for providing some order at the border, it has also faced significant criticism and challenges. Many migrants continue to cross the border illegally, bypassing the CBP One process. In addition, the report highlights that the number of CBP One appointments represents only a small part of the large influx of migrants trying to enter the United States.

The statistics presented by the publication provide a detailed look at the operation of CBP One, including the number of applications, the nationalities of migrants allowed to enter the U.S., and the selection procedures for appointments. However, it is a fact that the program has faced significant challenges and that its effectiveness has been limited amid the continued increase in illegal crossings at the southern border.