The Trump administration is offering to pay for illegal immigrants who are willing to self-deport. Migrants can apply through the CBP Home App for a plane ticket to their home country and, once their return is confirmed, an extra $1,000.
The White House says migrants who self deport would be more favored to return someday but migrants who are caught and deported on the U.S. government’s own time will not be.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that the U.S. spends approximately $17,000 to deport people so offering them $1,000 in travel incentives plus a plane ticket is basically a good deal – a 70% cost reduction.
Here is a lingering question: What if someone self-deports and the money never comes? They would be abroad with no way to enforce their right to the money. I wonder if the U.S. government would be faster with those payments than it is with citizens’ own tax returns.
