Trump administration has introduced a new financial incentive aimed at encouraging unaccompanied migrant teenagers to voluntarily leave the United States and return to their countries of origin.
According to a letter sent to federal migrant shelters by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Refugee Resettlement, eligible minors aged 14 and above may receive a one-time stipend of $2,500 if they opt for voluntary departure.
The initiative follows a previous offer of $1,000 for adult migrants who agreed to self-deport. Officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stated that the program will initially target 17-year-olds, excluding minors from Mexico. Children who had already volunteered to depart as of the date of the letter are also covered.
The stipend is contingent upon approval from an immigration judge and confirmation of the minor’s safe arrival in their home country.
Andrew Nixon, Communications Director at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), defended the program, saying it “gives UACs [unaccompanied children] a choice and allows them to make an informed decision about their future.”
However, immigration advocates have criticized the move, describing it as coercive and potentially harmful to vulnerable children.
Wendy Young, President of Kids in Need of Defense, argued that the stipend could pressure minors into abandoning legal claims for asylum or protection.
Under U.S. federal law, unaccompanied migrant children are placed in shelters managed by the Office of Refugee Resettlement until they can be reunited with vetted sponsors. As of last Thursday, over 2,100 children remained in HHS custody.
The administration’s efforts to expedite deportations have faced legal hurdles, including a recent court order blocking the removal of Guatemalan children with active immigration cases.
Since 2019, more than 600,000 unaccompanied minors have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border.
