The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is set to roll out a controversial new initiative offering unaccompanied migrant teenagers $2,500 if they voluntarily agree to return to their home countries, CNN reported on Saturday.
According to a leaked administration memo, the pilot programme will initially target 17-year-old migrants and require the approval of an immigration judge before any departure is authorised.
The payout will be made only after the minor’s safe return, intended to support “reintegration efforts.”
The move builds on an earlier Trump-era voluntary return policy, which already pays undocumented adults $1,000 “exit bonuses” to self-deport. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has defended the expansion, calling it a “cost-effective and humane” alternative to detention and forced deportation.
“This programme is strictly voluntary and allows minors to make an informed decision about their future,” ICE Spokesperson
However, immigrant rights advocates have sharply criticised the proposal, describing it as unethical and potentially unlawful. Neha Desai of the National Center for Youth Law warned that the government may be “incentivising vulnerable children to return to dangerous conditions” for money.
As of October 2, around 2,100 unaccompanied minors remain in federal custody awaiting placement or immigration hearings.
Critics argue that the new incentive blurs humanitarian lines, raising ethical and legal concerns over the treatment of migrant children under U.S. care.
Meanwhile, supporters say it could ease pressure on border facilities and reduce rising detention costs amid the latest surge in border crossings.
