Mon May 05 15:55:48 UTC 2025: **Trump Administration Offers $1,000 Stipend for Undocumented Immigrants to Return Home**
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Trump administration announced a new program offering undocumented immigrants a $1,000 stipend to voluntarily return to their home countries. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says this initiative, coupled with travel assistance, is a more cost-effective alternative to deportation, which averages $17,000 per person.
Individuals utilizing the CBP Home app to register their intent to depart will also be deprioritized for detention and removal. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem framed self-deportation as the “best, safest and most cost-effective way” for undocumented immigrants to leave the US.
While President Trump pledged mass deportations upon taking office, the administration’s deportations (152,000 since January 20th) lag behind those under the Biden administration (195,000 between February and April 2023). The DHS states that the voluntary departure program may help preserve the possibility of future legal re-entry, although no specific pathway was detailed. The program builds upon previous attempts to encourage voluntary departures through threats of fines and other penalties.
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