LOS ANGELES — The Trump administration is moving to expand its voluntary deportation program by offering $2,500 to unaccompanied migrant children who choose to leave the United States and return to their home countries.
The proposal was detailed in a communication sent to migrant shelters, outlining how the new incentive is intended to ease pressure on federal facilities that continue to house thousands of minors. Officials say the money would help children resettle and reintegrate after their return.
This comes after a June directive in which the State Department shifted $250 million to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to fund voluntary departures. At the time, adult migrants who chose to return were provided with $1,000 in assistance. The extension of the program to minors represents a new phase in the administration’s immigration approach.
While government officials present the measure as a “humane” alternative to lengthy detention and uncertain legal proceedings, child welfare advocates warn it raises ethical and legal concerns. Groups assisting unaccompanied minors caution that financial incentives may influence children to leave without fully understanding their rights under U.S. asylum laws and international protections.
The administration has not yet released data on how many unaccompanied children might be eligible or how the funds will be distributed. What is clear is that the policy underscores a broader strategy of using financial aid to encourage voluntary departures, a move that is likely to intensify debate over how the United States treats migrant children in its custody.
