President Donald Trump-led US administration is offering unaccompanied migrant children in America a "one-time stipend of $2,500" to voluntarily return to their home countries, Reuters reported, citing a letter sent to federal migrant shelters.
According to the letter, issued Friday by the Department of Homeland Security 's (DHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement, children aged 14 and above would qualify for a "one-time resettlement support stipend of $2,500" if they choose to leave the United States.
According to Reuters, officials confirmed the monetary offer but did not specify the exact amount publicly. The initiative is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to encourage voluntary deportations .
Earlier this year, DHS had offered $1,000 stipends for adult migrants who opted for " self-deportation ," backed by a $250 million fund transfer from the State Department.
Who are eligible for the payout?
According to Reuters, an ICE official said the $2,500 offer is initially being made to 17-year-olds. Children from Mexico are not eligible, but those who had already volunteered to leave the US by Friday will also be covered.
Payments will only be made after an immigration judge approves the request and the child has safely returned to their home country, the letter added.
Under federal law, migrant children arriving at US borders without a parent or legal guardian are classified as unaccompanied and placed in government-run shelters until they can be reunited with family or placed in foster care.
As of Thursday, more than 2,100 unaccompanied children were in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Critics slams the move as 'cruel'
Immigration advocates strongly condemned the move, calling it coercive. Wendy Young, president of Kids in Need of Defense, said the stipend was a "cruel tactic" that undermines legal protections for vulnerable children.
"Unaccompanied children seeking safety in the United States deserve our protection rather than being coerced into agreeing to return back to the very conditions that placed their lives and safety at risk," Young said in a statement.
HHS officials, however, defended the program, saying it offers children a choice about their future. HHS Communications Director Andrew Nixon stated, the program "gives UACs a choice and allows them to make an informed decision about their future."
Trump’s efforts to accelerate deportations of migrant children have repeatedly faced legal challenges. Since 2019, more than 600,000 unaccompanied minors have crossed the US -Mexico border, according to government data.
According to the letter, issued Friday by the Department of Homeland Security 's (DHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement, children aged 14 and above would qualify for a "one-time resettlement support stipend of $2,500" if they choose to leave the United States.
According to Reuters, officials confirmed the monetary offer but did not specify the exact amount publicly. The initiative is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to encourage voluntary deportations .
Earlier this year, DHS had offered $1,000 stipends for adult migrants who opted for " self-deportation ," backed by a $250 million fund transfer from the State Department.
Who are eligible for the payout?
According to Reuters, an ICE official said the $2,500 offer is initially being made to 17-year-olds. Children from Mexico are not eligible, but those who had already volunteered to leave the US by Friday will also be covered.
Payments will only be made after an immigration judge approves the request and the child has safely returned to their home country, the letter added.
Under federal law, migrant children arriving at US borders without a parent or legal guardian are classified as unaccompanied and placed in government-run shelters until they can be reunited with family or placed in foster care.
As of Thursday, more than 2,100 unaccompanied children were in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Critics slams the move as 'cruel'
Immigration advocates strongly condemned the move, calling it coercive. Wendy Young, president of Kids in Need of Defense, said the stipend was a "cruel tactic" that undermines legal protections for vulnerable children.
"Unaccompanied children seeking safety in the United States deserve our protection rather than being coerced into agreeing to return back to the very conditions that placed their lives and safety at risk," Young said in a statement.
HHS officials, however, defended the program, saying it offers children a choice about their future. HHS Communications Director Andrew Nixon stated, the program "gives UACs a choice and allows them to make an informed decision about their future."
Trump’s efforts to accelerate deportations of migrant children have repeatedly faced legal challenges. Since 2019, more than 600,000 unaccompanied minors have crossed the US -Mexico border, according to government data.
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