The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is increasing its efforts to encourage unauthorized immigrants to self-deport by offering a $1,000 stipend and travel assistance. Announced recently, the initiative allows individuals who use the CBP Home app for voluntary departure to receive support for returning to their home countries. As deportation rates have stagnated under President Trump’s administration, which touted mass deportations as a key policy goal, DHS aims to reduce costs associated with deportation by promoting self-deportation.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem highlighted self-deportation as the safest and most cost-effective departure method, as a single deportation reportedly costs taxpayers over $17,000. The agency projects a potential 70% reduction in these costs based on self-deportation uptake, even including the stipend. Early reports indicate that approximately 5,000 immigrants used the CBP Home app for voluntary departures this year, with the app recently experiencing around 1,500 downloads daily.
In revamping the CBP One app initially created under the Biden administration, DHS invested $200 million to promote self-deportation and encourage unlawful immigrants to leave voluntarily. Advertisements in both English and Spanish relay the message that users who express intent to self-deport will be deprioritized in detention and removal processes.
Despite these efforts, immigration experts express caution, emphasizing that returning to the U.S. legally might not be feasible for those who self-deport. There are concerns about potential coercion and the political, moral, and economic implications of pushing immigrants to leave their homes and families. Overall, while the DHS program aims to facilitate voluntary departures, experts warn of the uncertainties stored in the assurance of future legal reentry.
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