- The Trump administration unveiled a controversial $2,500 incentive aimed at persuading migrant children to voluntarily return to their home countries
- Immigration advocates have raised alarm over the offer, warning it may pressure vulnerable minors into abandoning legal claims
- The policy marks a sharp escalation in efforts to reduce shelter populations and tighten immigration enforcement
The Trump administration announced on Friday a controversial new incentive aimed at encouraging migrant children to voluntarily return to their countries of origin.
According to an internal email obtained by The Associated Press, children aged 14 and older housed in U.S. shelters would be offered $2,500 each if they agreed to self-deport.
Source: Getty Images
According to ABC news, the email, sent to migrant shelters by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department’s Administration for Families and Children, instructed shelter directors to acknowledge the offer within four hours. Children were given just 24 hours to respond. However, the notice did not specify any consequences for those who declined the offer.
ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Health and Human Services Department did not immediately respond to questions regarding the payment amount or age eligibility.
Murad Awawdeh, president of the New York Immigration Coalition, echoed these concerns, stating the offer “pressures children to abandon their legal claims and return to a life of fear and danger without ever receiving a fair hearing.”
The administration has also offered $1,000 to adults who voluntarily leave the country, further intensifying scrutiny of its immigration policies.
Increased scrutiny and lengthy shelter stays for migrant children
Since October 2021, U.S. border authorities have arrested unaccompanied children crossing the border more than 400,000 times. Under a 2008 law, these children are required to appear before an immigration judge before being returned to their home countries.
The Trump administration has subjected migrant children to heightened scrutiny before releasing them to family members in the U.S. Measures include fingerprinting, DNA testing, and home visits by immigration officers. Over the summer, officers reportedly began arresting parents.
As a result, children have been spending significantly more time in government-run shelters. In July, the average stay for those eventually released in the U.S. was 171 days—down from a peak of 217 days in April, but still markedly higher than the 37-day average recorded in January when Trump assumed office.
ICE has denied reports from immigration advocates that the agency was preparing a broader deportation operation dubbed “Freaky Friday,” targeting unaccompanied minors.
Source: Twitter
Lady voluntarily deported herself
Legit.ng earlier reported that a lady who self-deported from Cameroon has shared how much money she got paid. According to the lady, she lived in the United States for over 20 years before moving to her country.
In her story, the lady, identified as Amelie, said she and her family were suddenly told they couldn’t remain in the US. She had moved to Cameroon, and she documented her journey in a series of videos that went viral on TikTok.
Source: Legit.ng
