The Trump administration has announced a new program offering illegal immigrants in the US $1,000 plus travel expenses if they voluntarily leave the country, as part of its broader deportation strategy.
&nbsp;
"Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a historic opportunity for illegal aliens to receive both financial and travel assistance to facilitate travel back to their home country through the CBP (Customs &amp; Border Protection) Home App," the department stated.
"Any illegal alien who uses the CBP Home App to self-deport will also receive a stipend of $1,000, paid after their return to their home country has been confirmed through the app," the statement continued.
The department emphasized that even with the stipend costs, self-deportation through the app is projected to reduce deportation expenses by approximately 70 percent. Currently, the average cost to arrest, detain, and remove an illegal immigrant is $17,121, according to Xinhua news agency.
"If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest, and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest," said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
At a recent rally in Michigan, President Donald Trump claimed his first 100 days in office were the most successful of any US administration in history, highlighting increased deportations of illegal immigrants among his key achievements.
Despite Trump's claims of success, mass deportations remain below targets due to logistical, legal, and diplomatic constraints.
"One area where the administration appears to be failing to meet its enforcement goals is in the number of deportations," according to a recent analysis published by the Brookings Institution.
"The numbers of deportations remain modest, but the chilling effects are potentially severe," the analysis noted.
Many experts have expressed concerns about the implications of the administration's immigration policies.
"Americans worry about immigrants crossing the border illegally, so that has been a good issue for (Trump) politically. But polls show that people don't like his approach and feel he has been deporting people without any due process," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.
-IANS

New DHS program aims to reduce deportation costs by 70% through CBP Home App self-deportation initiative

Trump Administration Offers $1,000 to Illegal Immigrants Who Self-Deport

New DHS program aims to reduce deportation costs by 70% through CBP Home App self-deportation initiative

May 6, 2025 | 09:32 IST