The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is preparing to 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 memo, the initiative will begin with 17-year-old migrants and will require approval from an immigration judge before any departure.
The Trump administration already provides $1,000 “exit bonuses” to undocumented adults who choose self-deportation, describing the approach as a cost-effective alternative to detention and deportation proceedings.
An ICE spokesperson confirmed that the new program is “strictly voluntary,” saying it allows minors “to make an informed decision about their future.”
As of October 2, approximately 2,100 unaccompanied minors were being held in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
However, critics have denounced the plan, arguing that offering money to children undermines legal protections for vulnerable migrant youths under U.S. law.
There is no legitimate reason for the government to incentivize voluntary departure with a financial payoff,” said Neha Desai, senior director at the National Center for Youth Law.
Immigrant rights advocates warn that the policy could pressure children to return to unsafe conditions, rekindling debate over the Trump administration’s handling of unaccompanied minors and border enforcement policies.