The controversial case of Kenol Baptiste, a Haitian migrant accused of double homicide in New York, has once again put the Biden administration's immigration policy under the spotlight. The foreign national gained entry to the United States through the controversial CBP One application, expanded by the U.S. government.
Baptiste was arrested on April 1 in Middletown on charges of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. He entered the country in July 2023 after presenting himself at the Paso Del Norte port of entry in El Paso, Texas.
His entry was made possible after booking an appointment through CBP One, the app developed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection that Republicans have criticized as a means to facilitate illegal migration under the guise of legality. Since its expansion in 2023, the app has allowed hundreds of thousands of people to schedule appointments.
As an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson told Fox News Digital, Baptiste showed up at the port of entry after booking an appointment on the application. He subsequently received a notice to appear in immigration court, where he was processed and placed on probation while awaiting the progress of a pending deportation proceeding.
"He came in over the border, but they did give him working papers, and he was scheduled to get an asylum hearing by a federal judge," commented Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus.
ICE has already issued a detainer for Baptiste, requesting his transfer to the agency's custody once he completes his jail sentence.
Notably, CBP One was initially created under the Trump administration in an effort to modernize and streamline immigration processes at the U.S. border. However, the Biden administration expanded it last year to allow up to 1,450 immigrants per day to schedule an appointment to be processed in the country and expand "legal pathways" for migration.
The Biden administration's move promises a safe and orderly option for processing migrants. However, Baptiste's story has led to questions about the need to review migrant admission protocols and ensure more rigorous verification processes.
"Kenol Baptiste, the Haitian migrant who took the life of his two roommates in NYC, used Biden's CBP One app to enter the US. With the program he didn't have to illegally cross the border. He was granted entry to the US and given a work visa (...) Instead of illegally crossing, future asylum seekers can fill out their information on the app and be pre screened," criticized X user @Travis_in_Flint.
JUST IN: Kenol Baptiste, the Haitian migrant who took the life of his two roommates in NYC, used Biden’s CBP One app to enter the US. With the program he didn’t have to illegally cross the border. He was granted entry to the US and given a work visa.
The program is an… pic.twitter.com/x6O0wQ8D5C
— 🇺🇸Travis🇺🇸 (@Travis_in_Flint) April 17, 2024
