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The Trump administration has introduced a controversial program offering unaccompanied migrant children financial incentives to voluntarily depart the United States. According to a letter reviewed by Reuters, shelters housing migrant minors were informed that children 14 and older could receive a one-time stipend of $2,500 upon returning to their home countries. Officials confirmed the plan is currently being offered primarily to 17-year-olds, though minors from Mexico are excluded.
The initiative, led by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), follows earlier financial offers aimed at encouraging voluntary deportations. In June, the administration allocated $250 million to DHS, allowing migrants to receive $1,000 if they self-deported. The latest stipend builds on this strategy but focuses on unaccompanied minors under federal custody.
Critics argue the program exploits vulnerable children. Wendy Young, president of Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), condemned the move as “a cruel tactic” that undermines protections guaranteed under U.S. immigration law. She emphasized that children fleeing violence and unsafe conditions deserve legal protections rather than coercion into returning to danger.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), however, defended the program. Communications director Andrew Nixon stated it “gives unaccompanied children a choice” and ensures they can make an informed decision about their future. Payments would only be disbursed once an immigration judge approved the request and the child safely arrived in their country of origin.
Currently, more than 2,100 unaccompanied children are in HHS custody. Since 2019, over 600,000 migrant children have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without a parent or guardian. Legal battles continue, with federal courts recently blocking the deportation of certain Guatemalan minors while their cases remain active.
This policy highlights the administration’s broader efforts to reduce migrant numbers through financial incentives for voluntary deportation, a strategy sparking both legal and humanitarian concerns.
