The Precarious Nexus of Technology, Human Rights and Migration: The Case of the CBP One App

The essay examines how, in less than five years, the CBP One app (the app launched by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in October 2020) underwent significant changes, underscoring how politically motivated decisions can rapidly transform technology from a tool for advancing human rights into one that hinders them. The app, now known as CBP Home, has emerged as a powerful tool that has been used by the politically powerful to accomplish diametrically opposite goals, revealing the multifaceted relationship between technology, migration, and human rights.

The essay is the capstone project I submitted to receive my certificate in Human Rights and Technology from the University of Arizona. Read below.