During a recent Cabinet meeting, President Donald Trump announced a new initiative to encourage illegal immigrants to leave the United States voluntarily. He mentioned that there would soon be a deadline for these individuals to exit the country, or they would lose their chance to return legally in the future.
President Trump expressed his desire to work collaboratively with undocumented immigrants who choose to depart “in a nice way.” He emphasized that those who opt to leave will receive assistance in their efforts to come back to the U.S. legally. “We’re going to work with people, so that if they go out in a nice way, and go back to their country, we’ll support them from the beginning in trying to get them back in legally,” he stated.
He also indicated that if immigrants miss the planned timeframe—likely around 60 days—they would no longer be permitted to reenter the country. This announcement is part of a broader voluntary removal campaign, designed to motivate immigrants living in the U.S. illegally to self-deport through the administration’s CBP Home app. Recent data from the Department of Homeland Security revealed that over 5,000 immigrants have voluntarily left the country in the last month.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem remarked during the meeting that the current laws under the Alien Registration Act could lead to significant consequences for undocumented immigrants who fail to address their status with the government. They could face daily fines of up to $1,000 and would be barred from returning to the U.S.
Noem also pointed out that the administration is committed to ensuring that when deported individuals return home, they have access to support through programs in countries like Mexico and Colombia, which provide food and housing assistance.
The goal, according to Noem, is to offer these individuals a chance to transition back into their home countries successfully, ultimately allowing for the possibility of returning to the U.S. in the future.
