Trump admin to pay $1,000 'stipend' for illegal immigrants' 'self-deportation'

Washington, May 6 (IANS) The Donald Trump administration announced that it will pay illegal immigrants in the US 1,000 dollars plus their travel expenses if they leave voluntarily, in an effort to step up its mass deportation.

"Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a historic opportunity for illegal aliens to receive both financial and travel assistance to facilitate travel back to their home country through the CBP (Customs & Border Protection) Home App," the department said in a statement.

"Any illegal alien who uses the CBP Home App to self-deport will also receive a stipend of 1,000 dollars, paid after their return to their home country has been confirmed through the app," the statement read.

The department noted that even with the cost of the stipend, it is projected that self-deportation using the app will decrease the costs of a deportation by around 70 per cent. Currently the average cost to arrest, detain, and remove an illegal alien is $17,121, Xinhua news agency reported.

"If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest," said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

In a recent rally speech in Michigan, US President Donald Trump claimed his first 100 days in office were the most successful of any US administration in history, citing policies like increased deportations of illegal immigrants as key achievements.

Despite Trump claiming victory, mass deportations remain below targets due to logistical, legal, and diplomatic constraints.

"One area where the administration appears to be failing to meet its enforcement goals is in the number of deportations," according to a recent analysis published by the Brookings Institution.

"The numbers of deportations remain modest, but the chilling effects are potentially severe," the analysis said.

Meanwhile, many experts expressed concerns about the implications of the administration's immigration policies.

"Americans worry about immigrants crossing the border illegally, so that has been a good issue for (Trump) politically. But polls show that people don't like his approach and feel he has been deporting people without any due process," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.

--IANS

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