The administration of former President Donald Trump has introduced a policy offering a $1,000 financial incentive to migrants who choose to voluntarily leave the United States using a mobile application initially designed for asylum requests, now repurposed to facilitate voluntary departures.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has described the measure as a more cost-effective option for the government and a more dignified way for individuals to return to their countries of origin. According to DHS estimates, the average cost of apprehending, detaining, and deporting a person without legal immigration status is around $17,121.
Due to limited detention capacity, authorities have been working to accelerate the process of removals. Since the app was updated, over 7,000 individuals have reportedly used it to begin voluntary departure procedures.
Shortly after the presidential inauguration, asylum appointments on the app were canceled, and the platform was relaunched last month with a focus on encouraging immediate departures.
DHS confirmed that the incentive has already been used at least once to facilitate the return of an individual from Chicago to Honduras. Additional flights have been scheduled for this and next week for other individuals without legal status.
Some immigrant advocacy groups have raised concerns about the program’s transparency and its effectiveness. Questions remain about how many people will receive the payment and the mechanism for distributing the funds. As of 2022, it is estimated that approximately 11 million individuals reside in the United States without legal immigration status.
