U.S. launches incentive for voluntary migrant departures
On Monday, U.S. authorities initiated the return of the first 64 individuals to Honduras and Colombia as part of a program that the Trump administration terms voluntary "self-deportation." In exchange for leaving the country, migrants each received $1,000 from the government.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated that it was a "voluntary charter flight," distinguishing it from an ICE immigration enforcement operation. According to the department, 38 individuals were sent to Honduras and 26 to Colombia.
In Honduras, those returning were welcomed at the airport by Deputy Foreign Minister Antonio Garcia. The Deputy Minister emphasized that the government would provide additional support with $100 in cash and vouchers worth $200 for purchasing essential goods.
Among those arriving in Honduras on Monday were 19 children. Of these, four were born in the United States, Garcia reported.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced in May that migrants residing in the U.S. without proper permits will receive $1,000 and avoid penalties if they register through a special application and voluntarily leave the country. The department claims this initiative will reduce deportation costs, which currently average $17,000 per person, CNN reported.
The project encouraging "self-deportation" is part of President Trump's broader campaign against illegal immigration. As a part of this campaign, the U.S. administration has also sent hundreds of foreigners to a prison for terrorists in El Salvador, citing 18th-century wartime regulations.
