Donald Trump offers $1,000 to migrants to ‘self-deport’ from US

The Donald Trump-led administration will pay one thousand dollars and provide travel assistance to migrants to go back to their home country voluntarily, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.

In a release, the department said that self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest.

“If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest. DHS is now offering illegal aliens financial travel assistance and a stipend to return to their home country through the CBP Home App,” Secretary Kristi Noem said, according to news agency AP.

The issue of immigration enforcement and the mass deportation of illegal immigrants in the US has been a centrepiece of Trump's campaign. However, deporting migrants back to their home countries remains a costly and resource-intensive endeavour for the United States.

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According to the DHS, the average cost of arresting, detaining and deporting someone without legal status is currently about $17,000.

The stipend and potential airfare for migrants who voluntarily depart would cost less than an actual deportation, according to the agency.

“The first use of travel assistance has already proven successful. An illegal alien that the Biden Administration allowed into our country recently utilized the program to receive a ticket for a flight from Chicago to Honduras,” the agency said.

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“Additional tickets have already been booked for this week and the following week,” it added.

According to DHS, the Trump administration has deported 1,52,000 people since January 20. This number is lower than the 1,95,000 deported from February to April last year under the Joe Biden-led administration.