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In a notable development under former President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration policies, the first charter flight carrying 65 undocumented migrants voluntarily left the United States from Houston early Monday morning. The move comes under a new initiative that offers immigrants a free flight back to their home country along with a $1,000 cash incentive upon arrival.
The voluntary departure program, recently introduced by Trump, aims to encourage illegal migrants to exit the country on their own terms rather than face arrest or deportation. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the migrants on Monday’s flight were from Honduras and Colombia. They registered for the program via the CBP (Customs and Border Protection) Home App, requesting repatriation assistance in exchange for the travel and financial benefit.
Speaking on the program, DHS officials described self-deportation as a more “dignified” way for migrants to leave the U.S. It also leaves the door open for potential legal entry in the future. In contrast, those who choose not to participate risk immediate arrest, daily fines of nearly $1,000 for overstaying, and a complete ban on re-entry.
Trump, while unveiling the initiative last week, emphasized a crackdown on illegal immigration. His administration is actively monitoring social media activity, checking past criminal records, and increasing enforcement actions to identify undocumented individuals.
As more flights are expected in the coming weeks, officials hope the pilot program will scale successfully, reducing the burden on immigration enforcement and detention systems while offering migrants an orderly and voluntary way to exit the U.S.
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