The Trump administration has rolled out a program offering illegal migrants up to $1,000 each if they voluntarily exit the country, a move the Department of Homeland Security says could cut costs by up to $1 million per family.
Migrants can skip detention and arrest by using the CBP Home app, introduced under the Trump administration. The government will cover airfare for those choosing to leave and issue the cash payout once their departure is confirmed.
While the idea of paying those in the country illegally may seem counterintuitive, DHS officials argue the numbers work out in taxpayers’ favor, with projected savings of around 70% when compared to the costs associated with forced deportation.
According to DHS estimates, the process of arresting, jailing, and deporting one illegal migrant typically runs about $17,121.
Stephen Miller, a key adviser to President Trump on both policy and national security, posted on X that “the savings are as much as $1 million per illegal alien family given the long-term costs of free welfare and public support.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem emphasized that “self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost-effective way” for migrants to avoid being taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“Download the CBP Home App TODAY and self-deport,” said Noem in a public statement.
The first participant in the new initiative was reportedly someone who had originally been allowed into the U.S. under the Biden administration but ultimately opted to return to Honduras from Chicago, DHS confirmed.
In just the first 100 days of Trump’s return to the presidency, ICE reported it has already deported nearly 66,000 individuals living in the country illegally.
“We’re just 100 days into this administration and thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem, ICE is using every tool at its disposal to enforce our country’s immigration laws and protect our communities,” said acting ICE Director Todd Lyons.
{Matzav.com}