Cynthia Ezegwu
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is preparing to launch a new initiative that would offer unaccompanied migrant teenagers in the United States a $2,500 payment if they voluntarily return to their home countries, CNN reports.
According to an internal administration memo, the program would initially apply to 17-year-old migrants and would require approval from an immigration judge before any departure. The payment would be made after the minors arrive in their home countries to support “reintegration efforts.”
The initiative mirrors an existing Trump-era policy that provides $1,000 “exit bonuses” to undocumented adults who choose self-deportation, a practice the government describes as more cost-effective than detention or formal deportation proceedings.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson said the new plan is “strictly voluntary” and aims to ensure minors “make an informed decision about their future.” As of October 2, about 2,100 unaccompanied minors were in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services.
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However, immigrant rights advocates have criticized the proposal, arguing that it undermines legal protections for vulnerable migrant youths. “There is no legitimate reason for the government to incentivize voluntary departure with a financial payoff,” said Neha Desai of the National Center for Youth Law.
Critics warn that the plan could pressure children to return to unsafe environments, reigniting debate over how the U.S. government handles unaccompanied minors at the southern border.