(NewsNation) — Amid the anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles, the United States is seeing a burgeoning trend under President Trump’s administration: migrants choosing to self-deport.
This choice is typically to avoid a final order removal that could permanently ban them from the country.
“Leaving on their own, I’ve never seen that before,” said Rolando Vazquez, immigration attorney. “Not in these numbers, never in these numbers. Seldom would you see someone returning to their home country or another country on their own. But now it’s just happening in mass numbers.”
The Department of Homeland Security has announced migrants who self-deport through the CBP Home app will not face so-called “failure to depart fines,” which can reach up to $1,000 per day. In addition, they’ll get free flights, a $1,000 exit bonus and the chance to return legally later.
The DHS has added over 9,000 fines, totaling nearly $3 billion, that have already been issued, and this policy is intended to ease that burden.
DHS acknowledged that the CBP Home app has been simplified to make the process easier. Last month, it flew 64 volunteers from Houston to Honduras and Colombia.
Even after being arrested, ICE may drop removal proceedings if someone agrees to self-deport.
NewsNation has confirmed with Mexican officials that during recent ICE raids in Los Angeles, 2 out of 42 Mexican nationals chose to self-deport rather than face extended detention or removal orders.
ICE arrests have now passed 100,000 during Trump’s second term, and agents are under new pressure to hit 3,000 arrests a day across the country.