DHS to pay immigrants in US illegally $1K to self deport

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- In a move to push those in the country illegally to self-deport, the Department of Homeland Security on Monday announced a travel assistance program to help those who want to leave the country voluntarily.

Those who are in the country illegally and want to self-deport must use the CBP Home App, return to their home country and then they'll receive a $1,000 stipend, according to a release from DHS.

“If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest, and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest. DHS is now offering illegal aliens financial travel assistance and a stipend to return to their home country through the CBP Home App,” said Secretary Kristi Noem. “This is the safest option for our law enforcement, aliens, and is a 70% savings for US taxpayers. Download the CBP Home App TODAY and self-deport.”

Undocumented migrants submitting their intent to voluntarily self-deport in the CBP Home will also be deprioritized for detention and removal ahead of their departure as long as they demonstrate they are making meaningful steps in completing that departure. Participation in CBP Home Self-Deportation may help preserve the option for an undocumented migrant to re-enter the United States legally in the future.

Self-deporting has been something the Trump administration has been pushing, as opposed to having ICE arrest and deport migrants.

ABC-7 spoke with Estrella del Paso today, its Executive Director Melissa M. Lopez, said migrants should not make emotional decisions when they hear news like this.

"You're living in this state of fear and you're living in a state of constantly feeling like you're being attacked, but what you don't want to do is make an emotional decision that could affect the rest of your life," said Executive Director Lopez. "People must take a step back, so you have to be able to digest the information, take a step back and then get a legal consultation so you know what your rights are."

"As an immigration attorney with nearly 18 years of experience, what I can tell you is is that they don't know the law, because if it was that easy for people to come to the United States, we wouldn't be dealing with the situation we are now where people have to apply for asylum. They would just be able to come in through the immigration system without any sort of problem," Lopez added.

"You know, $1,000 might sound like a lot to some people who probably thought that they didn't need any money, but $1,000, try and see how far that stretches in your budget," El Paso Bishop Mark J. Seitz said.

Bishop Seitz added, those $1,000 will not help people who left their countries because of the economic situation and because they were being threatened, because that's supposed to buy them a house, feed a family, and buy other goods that might not last.

“The Trump Administration has proven it is not to be trusted by anyone, much less by immigrants – even individuals who are lawfully in the country aren’t being told the truth,” said Rep. Escobar. “I will reiterate what I’ve said from the day Donald Trump was sworn in: it’s important for every person in our country to know their rights.”