Donald Trump Launches First Self-Deportation Program: ‘Free Flights’

President Donald Trump is urging illegal immigrants to jump before they are pushed out of the U.S. after a signing an executive order “to launch the first-ever self-deportation program” on Friday.

The move, which he announced in a video address released online, offers undocumented immigrants free flights and a £1,000 stipend if they voluntarily return to their home country using a federal app to schedule their departure.

Plans for the scheme were first announced last Monday, but Trump’s proclamation about “Project Homecoming” publicized the initiative and set out further details about potential punishments for those who choose to remain illegally instead of accessing the self-deportation program.

Newsweek has reached out by email to the White House seeking further information and comment.

Why It Matters

There has been a febrile debate across the U.S. about immigration, which Trump had made a cornerstone of his presidential election campaign.

When he entered the White House for his second term, Trump kicked off with a dramatic series of immigration raids. He also revealed his hopes to end the automatic birthright citizenship for the children born to parents who aren’t citizens or lawful permanent residents.

However, the plans have proved divisive and have been targeted by multiple court challenges.

What To Know

On May 5, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced “a historic opportunity for illegal immigrants to receive both financial and travel assistance to facilitate travel back to their home country.”

Immigrants who wished to “self-deport” were advised to use the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home App, where they would “receive a stipend of $1,000 dollars, paid after their return to their home country has been confirmed.”

The administration described self-deportation as a more “dignified way to leave the U.S.” than being thrown out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Officials claimed the policy would cut the costs of a deportation by around 70 percent—even taking the stipend into account—because the “average cost to arrest, detain, and remove an illegal immigrant is $17,121.”

On Friday, Trump told illegal immigrants in the U.S. that he wanted them out of the country, but said “if you’re really good, we’re going to try to help you get back in.” However, further details of how that return process would work were not revealed.

The self-deportation scheme has already been used successfully, the DHS said, with the agency revealing that an immigrant living in Chicago, Illinois, had voluntarily returned to Honduras, with more immigrants slated to leave in the coming weeks.

But some lawyers have raised concerns that the move may spark panic and fear and lead to immigrants abandoning applications for asylum or citizenship that would have been successful.

What People Are Saying

U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Friday: “Today, I signed an Executive Order to launch the first-ever self-deportation program. Illegal immigrants who stay in America face punishments, including—sudden deportation, in a place and manner solely of our discretion. TO ALL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS: BOOK YOUR FREE FLIGHT RIGHT NOW!”

Trump shared a video address about the scheme, in which he publicized the CBP Home app and encouraged undocumented immigrants to make use of it. “However, if illegal immigrants choose to remain in America, they’re remaining illegally and they will face severe consequences,” the president said. “Illegal immigrants who stay in America face punishments, including significant jail time, enormous financial penalties, confiscation of all property, garnishment of all wages, imprisonment and incarceration, and sudden deportation in a place and manner solely of our discretion.”

But some legal experts say they are worried about the implications of the policy.

Daniel Kanstroom, a law professor at Boston College, told The Washington Post: “People are terrified, and some people might want to take advantage of this [self-deportation scheme] just for the peace of mind.”

Greg Chen, senior director of government relations at the American Immigration Lawyers Association, told the Post: “I am deeply concerned that this administration is going to present biased information to people.”

What Happens Next

Trump will continue to forge ahead with his plans to cut immigration, but it remains to be seen how many people will sign up to leave the U.S. voluntarily.