In a bold—and some might say controversial—initiative, the Trump administration is encouraging children aged 14 and over to voluntarily return to their home countries by offering a $2,500 incentive. This policy, disclosed in a letter from the Office of Refugee Resettlement within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), targets unaccompanied minors to self-deport.
The HHS’s proposal includes a one-time financial stipend aimed specifically at unaccompanied minors who choose to leave the U.S. voluntarily.
Though Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) did not provide specifics on the amount, they indicated that various forms of financial aid would be available to unaccompanied alien children if they opted for voluntary departure.
New reports suggest that the Trump administration is offering a stipend of $2,500 to teen migrants willing to leave the United States voluntarily. This information comes from correspondence shared on Friday by the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement with shelters that house these minors.
The letter, which has been reviewed by multiple news outlets, states that the department will facilitate a “one-time resettlement support stipend of $2,500” for unaccompanied children aged 14 or older.
ICE did not confirm the proposed amount to Fox News Digital, but acknowledged that Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) would have a chance to access financial resources if they choose to return home.
Many of these unaccompanied minors have found themselves in vulnerable situations, with reports indicating that a significant number were trafficked into the U.S. during the administration of President Biden. Under Trump, both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and HHS have emphasized their commitment to protecting these children.
As of September, figures indicate that around 2 million undocumented individuals have departed the U.S., whether through enforced removal by ICE or voluntary self-deportation. Notably, approximately 1.6 million left voluntarily, while around 400,000 were officially removed by federal immigration authorities.
The DHS has pointed out that facilitating self-deportation with a small stipend is significantly more cost-effective compared to the expenses incurred through arrest, legal processing, and deportation of undocumented immigrants.
