The administration of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has announced a financial incentive program offering undocumented immigrants $3,000 and free airfare if they voluntarily leave the United States by the end of the year.
According to foreign media reports, the US Department of Homeland Security rolled out the offer for undocumented immigrants who agree to self-deportation by December 31.
The Department of Homeland Security announced in a statement that undocumented immigrants who sign up for self-deportation through the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home app will receive a free plane ticket to their home country along with $3,000 in cash.
The department has tripled the payment from the original $1,000 stipend previously offered to those who voluntarily return to their countries.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued a stark warning to those who refuse to participate in the voluntary departure program.
“People who do not self-deport will face arrest, deportation, and a permanent ban on reentry,” Noem warned.
She revealed that 1.9 million undocumented immigrants have voluntarily left the country since January this year, with thousands utilizing the CBP Home program.
However, immigration lawyers and activists have raised doubts about claims that migrants who leave voluntarily may be able to return legally. In many cases, people who have lived in the US without legal status face automatic bans that can last years, for which waivers are not typically granted.
The stipend increase comes as non-voluntary arrests and deportations have not met the administration’s early target of one million.
Since taking office, the Trump administration has deported more than 335,000 people, according to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement data.