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Tengrinews.kz – The first charter flight organized by the Trump administration for dozens of undocumented migrants voluntarily leaving the U.S. took off from Houston early Monday morning. Under the new program, those who leave the country on their own receive a free flight home and $1,000, according to Axios.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the flight departed from Houston and transported 65 people from Honduras and Colombia back to their home countries.
Self-deportation flights are one of the few incentives offered to undocumented immigrants to voluntarily turn themselves in to authorities.
The self-deportation program was announced in March. Since then, the administration has paid for tickets for some individuals to return home via commercial airlines.
For those who do not have permission to stay and either refuse to surrender or reject voluntary departure, the alternative is arrest by immigration authorities and potentially being held in detention for months in overcrowded facilities.
The program is part of Trump’s campaign promise to carry out mass deportations, following a period under President Joe Biden, during which the U.S. admitted a record number of migrants.
According to an analysis of government data, the number of deportations under Trump is rising, but his administration still lags behind Biden’s in terms of total deportations compared to the same period last year.
It remains unclear if or when those who self-deported will be able to return to the U.S.
