FILES: President Donald Trump (Photo by ALEX WONG / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
United States (US) government is offering non-immigrants with no legal status in the country a free flight home and a $1,000 stipend if they voluntarily depart the United States.
According to Harry Fones, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the US Department of Homeland Security, the new initiative aims to encourage “illegal” immigrants to self-deport.
*Free flight and $1,000 stipend*
Fones explained that immigrants can download the CBP One mobile app to register for the program.
“If you are here in the United States illegally, you can download the CBP One app, you can register on it,” he said.
“And the United States Government will provide you with a free flight home.
‘You will also receive a $1,000 stipend that is paid once it’s confirmed that you have departed the United States.”
The program also allows families to register and receive benefits. “If it’s a family of, let’s say, four, that family would receive a stipend of $4,000,” Fones said.
He added that the program can help preserve the immigrants’ ability to return to the US in the future.
*Avoiding deportation*
Fones emphasized that the program is a great alternative to deportation. “If you use this app, it does deprioritize you from ICE’s deportation list,” he said.
“And it can also help possibly preserve your ability to come back into the United States legally later.”
The US government has been working to streamline the process and make it easier for immigrants to use the app.
The program has already seen significant uptake, with many immigrants taking advantage of the benefits since its introduction in May.
*“Streamlining the Process”*
Fones said the agency is working with the Department of Justice to make it easier and more efficient to administer fines for failure to depart.
“We’re streamlining the process through a federal rule,” he said.
The CBP One app has been updated to make it more user-friendly and efficient. Fones said the app is a key tool in the US government’s efforts to manage immigration and provide alternatives to deportation.
