$1,000 to leave US: Trump administration is offering cash to migrants who self deport

The administration believes this idea will save money. Deporting people through the usual process is expensive because it involves finding, arresting, detaining, and flying them out on government planes.

Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security Secretary, told The New York Times, “If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest.”

So far, one migrant from Honduras has accepted the offer and travelled back from Chicago, according to officials.

In the past few weeks, the Trump administration has been advising some undocumented immigrants to leave before they are detained. It has also introduced other measures to make life harder for those without legal status, including blocking access to financial services for some groups.

The government says about 1,40,000 migrants have been deported since January. However, this number is still far from President Trump’s campaign goal of removing millions of undocumented people.

President Trump had mentioned the idea of a ‘self-deportation’ programme during an interview with Fox News in April. “We’re going to give them a cash stipend, we’re going to give them some money and a plane ticket,” he said. “If they’re good, if we want them back in, we’re going to work with them to get them back in as quickly as we can.”

Deportation can take a long time because US officials often have to wait for travel documents and work with countries that don’t always accept their citizens right away. The administration believes this new approach may be a simpler and cheaper way to meet its immigration goals.

(With inputs from agencies)