Here’s what President Trump is doing now.
President Donald J. Trump has unveiled a bold new immigration measure offering $2,500 in cash to teenage migrants who choose to return to their home countries voluntarily — a move the administration says will protect children from cartel exploitation, save billions in taxpayer dollars, and restore border security after years of chaos under Joe Biden.
According to reports, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sent a letter to migrant shelters Friday announcing the plan. The Office of Refugee Resettlement confirmed it will provide a “one-time resettlement support stipend” to unaccompanied minors 14 and older who agree to leave the United States voluntarily.
Officials said the initiative begins with 17-year-olds, giving them a chance to reunite safely with their families instead of remaining in dangerous limbo.
Trump’s Team Says the Goal Is Safety — and Savings
An official with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told Fox News Digital that payments will be made only after an immigration judge approves the voluntary departure and the individual safely arrives back in their country of origin.
Emily Covington, ICE’s Assistant Director of Public Affairs, said the program is both compassionate and cost-effective, adding that many of these minors were smuggled into the U.S. by cartels during the Biden years.
“Many of these children were trafficked by criminal networks,” Covington said. “This plan gives them a safe, voluntary path home — and helps dismantle the human trafficking pipeline that flourished under the previous administration.”
Children from Mexico are not eligible, but minors who had already volunteered to return home before the announcement will still qualify for the $2,500 stipend, according to the HHS letter.
Left-Wing Groups Push Back — ICE Calls It ‘Categorically False’
As soon as the plan was announced, progressive activist groups tried to stir panic, calling it a “mass deportation effort” and even labeling the rollout “Freaky Friday.”
ICE swiftly debunked those claims, calling them “categorically false.” Covington blasted the activist narrative as fearmongering designed to smear law enforcement and distract from the success of Trump’s border crackdown.
“This misinformation campaign is reckless,” she said. “It’s the same playbook that fueled violence against our agents during the Biden administration’s border failures.”
Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Is Breaking Records
The move is part of President Trump’s promise to launch the largest domestic deportation operation in U.S. history — and the results are already historic.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), over 2 million illegal immigrants have been removed or voluntarily self-deported since Trump took office in January.
Of those, 1.6 million chose to self-deport voluntarily, while 400,000 were formally removed by ICE and Border Patrol.
In May, President Trump signed an executive order creating the nation’s first self-deportation incentive program, offering free flights home plus $1,000 in cash. The plan has already saved American taxpayers millions of dollars, as DHS reports that deporting one illegal migrant through traditional means costs over $17,000 per person.
In June, the State Department redirected $250 million to expand the voluntary return program — a move DHS says is 70% cheaper and far more humane than mass detentions.
Critics Warn, But Americans Approve
Left-wing immigration advocates, including Shaina Aber of the Acacia Center for Justice, claimed the stipends might “undermine due process” or expose children to renewed trafficking. But federal officials say those fears are unfounded and politically motivated.
Each case is reviewed by a federal immigration judge, and participation remains completely voluntary.
Supporters say Trump’s policy strikes a balance between compassion and accountability, protecting vulnerable children while sending a clear message: America’s borders are not open.
Trump Delivers on His Promise to Put America First
The administration says this initiative isn’t just about border enforcement — it’s about restoring fairness, saving taxpayer money, and ending the human trafficking crisis that exploded under Joe Biden’s failed border policies.
By offering a safe, voluntary exit and cash support for migrants, Trump is proving that strong leadership can combine compassion with common sense — something Americans have demanded for years.
