President Donald Trump has introduced a new immigration strategy that merges self-deportation with potential legal reentry, offering stipends and airfare to undocumented immigrants who voluntarily leave the country. The plan reflects a shift from strict enforcement-only measures to a model that incentivizes departure for those without criminal backgrounds.
In a Fox Noticias interview released Tuesday, President Trump outlined the initiative as part of his broader 2024 campaign focus on immigration reform. The program would provide financial assistance to undocumented individuals who agree to self-deport. Trump emphasized that this initiative would not apply to those with serious criminal histories, who would still face immediate deportation.
The self-deportation plan is aimed at reducing the strain on immigration enforcement resources while encouraging non-criminal immigrants to leave voluntarily. Trump proposed offering stipends and airfare to support their return to their countries of origin.
“We’re going to give them a stipend. We’re going to give them some money and a plane ticket, and then we’re going to work with them — if they’re good — if we want them back in, we’re going to work with them to get them back in as quickly as we can,” Trump stated.
Additionally, Trump introduced the idea of a future legal pathway back to the U.S. for certain undocumented immigrants who comply with the self-deportation plan. He suggested this option would be reserved for individuals deemed “good people” who contribute to sectors such as agriculture, hospitality, and other labor-intensive industries. However, Trump did not provide specific criteria or a timeline for how this reentry process would be administered.
The policy includes a provision for certain individuals to apply for legal reentry in the future, based on their work history and compliance with the self-deportation process. This pathway would apply only to those contributing to key industries like agriculture and hospitality, under strict guidelines yet to be publicly outlined by the administration.
President Trump has made immigration enforcement a central focus of his administration, consistently criticizing the failures of prior policies under the Biden administration.
The White House has not released a full rollout schedule for the plan. Congressional support would be required for funding allocations, but Trump has made clear that his administration is committed to advancing immigration policies that uphold the rule of law, national sovereignty, and economic security.
