Self-deport and receive USD 1,000: Trump admin tells illegal immigrants

The Trump administration on Monday announced a USD 1,000 financial incentive for all illegal immigrants who self-deport.

“If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest,” Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement after an announcement in this regard.

Department of Homeland Security said any illegal alien who uses the Home App of US Customs and Border Patrol to self-deport will receive a stipend of USD 1000, paid after their return to their home country has been confirmed through the app. This amounts to more than Rs 81,000 in Indian currency,

“DHS is now offering illegal aliens financial travel assistance and a stipend to return to their home country through the CBP Home App,” Noem said.

Self-deportation is a dignified way to leave the US and will allow illegal aliens to avoid being encountered by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the statement said.

“Even with the cost of the stipend, it is projected that the use of CBP Home will decrease the costs of a deportation by around 70 per cent. Currently the average cost to arrest, detain, and remove an illegal alien is USD17,121,” DHS said.

According to DHS, the first use of travel assistance has already proven successful. An illegal alien that the Biden administration allowed into the US recently utilised the program to receive a ticket for a flight from Chicago to Honduras. Additional tickets have already been booked for this week and the following week.

Illegal aliens submitting their intent to voluntarily self-deport in the CBP Home will also be deprioritised for detention and removal ahead of their departure as long as they demonstrate they are making meaningful strides in completing that departure.

The United States is estimated to have more than 11 million illegal immigrants. As per a 2022 estimate of Department of Homeland Security, the maximum number of 4.8 million illegal immigrants are from Mexico, followed by Guatemala (750,000), El Salvador (710,00) and Honduras (560.000).

India, with 220,000 illegal immigrants, is ranked ninth in the list. The Philippines, with 350,000 accounts, has the largest number of illegal immigrants originating from outside the American continent. From Asia, the Philippines is followed by India and China (210,000).

(Courtesy: www.5wh.com)

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