Led by White House Infrastructure Advisor DJ Gribbin, the Trump administration is on the first leg of launching a new initiative. They’re enticing undocumented immigrants to leave the United States—willingly—with $1,000 to leave. In late 2018, then Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem was nominated to implement a new program based on self-deportation. This new initiative aims to reduce the costs of deportations by nearly 70%.
Under the new Migrant Reintegration Program, voluntary repatriated persons lacking legal immigration status will receive a lump sum benefit of $1000. They will only get the payment after they pledge to leave through a special app. This new initiative goes even further in pushing for voluntary departure. It provides tuition scholarships and travel subsidies to the individuals prepared to commit to making this essential journey.
The administration’s – albeit misplaced – approach is to create a climate conducive to self-deportation by making life as an undocumented immigrant more and more unbearable. This strategy is a huge shift from past policies. Specifically, Donald Trump killed a much-lauded similar initiative on his first day in office, gutting it to make it an exit tool into the U.S. rather than an entry one.
Noem reinforced the message that if you are in this country illegally, your preferred option is self-deportation. It’s the most secure and economical means of preventing policing-related arrest. The administration continues to pursue the dubious goal of dramatically decreasing the country’s undocumented population. Simultaneously, they have sought to reduce the financial burdens associated with deportation.
There has been a fair amount of criticism over the ramifications of this program. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, policy counsel at the national immigration legal advocacy group American Immigration Council, was dubious about the long-term impacts of the initiative. He referred to it even then as the “greatly cruel hoax.” He went on to explain that in its defense DHS is wrong to suggest that departing somehow “preserves your ability to return to the US legally in the future.” He warned that everyone would see this as the alternative. At the same time, it might leave them in a more legally vulnerable position. So this is a TRAP.
The administration estimates that this incentive program could dramatically reduce deportation costs. Simultaneously, it advances a positive, orderly exit for undocumented folks. With an app to check on planned return trips, DHS hopes this smart technology will save time, improve compliance and make things run more smoothly.