UN agency partners with Trump admin to help migrants who ‘self-deport’
The Trump administration is continuing its push to get immigrants in the country illegally to leave the U.S. without pressure from immigration authorities, something the White House calls “self-deportation.” The latest step in that effort involves partnering with the United Nations International Organization for Migration, or IOM, to assist migrants in voluntarily leaving the U.S.
An unlikely alliance on immigration policy
Some immigration advocacy groups and lawyers are surprised by the collaboration, given the United Nations’ past tensions with President Donald Trump over immigration. The IOM, in particular, has previously criticized key Trump-era policies, including the “Remain in Mexico” plan that required asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their U.S. immigration cases were processed.
Despite stark ideological differences, the Trump administration and the IOM are now working together to provide logistical support and coordination for voluntary departures.
IOM clarifies its role
The IOM has been careful to distinguish its participation in the program from any form of deportation. In a statement on Friday, May 9, the agency emphasized that its mission is not to enforce U.S. immigration law but to assist individuals who choose to leave on their own.
“At the request of the U.S. government, IOM is providing Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) to people in the U.S. who register to voluntarily return to their countries of origin,” the agency said, adding, “The United States determines its own migration policy. IOM does not facilitate or implement deportations. Our involvement begins only after an individual, required by U.S. law to leave the country, gives informed consent to receive assistance.”
$1,000 cash incentive offered
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Migrants who choose to “self-deport” can receive a $1,000 incentive, according to the Trump administration.
The administration has unveiled several incentives to promote its “self-deportation” plans, among them: a $1,000 cash payment for each migrant who leaves the U.S. voluntarily, provided they have no criminal record.
In addition to the financial incentive, migrants will be allowed to keep wages earned in the United States. They may be eligible to legally return in the future through appropriate channels, according to the DHS.
As part of the policy shift, the Trump administration has discontinued the “CBP One” app used during the Biden administration to apply for asylum and legal entry and replaced it with the “CBP Home” app. The new app streamlines the voluntary departure process and is already being used by migrants planning to leave the country.
New messaging campaign highlights consequences
To further encourage participation, the Department of Homeland Security launched a nationwide awareness campaign featuring Secretary Kristi Noem. The videos, part of a multi-million-dollar messaging investment, warn of steep penalties for those who fail to leave.
“Over 100,000 illegal aliens have been arrested. And if you’re here illegally, you’re next,” Noem said in one video. “You’ll be fined nearly $1,000 a day, imprisoned, and deported. You will never return. But if you register using our CBP Home app and you leave now, you could come back legally. Do what’s right. Leave now.”
Migrants opting in
According to The Washington Post, at least 1,000 migrants have already used the CBP Home app to start the process of voluntarily leaving the U.S. The outlet was the first to report on the IOM’s involvement in the voluntary return program.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
