Trump Proposes Incentives for Immigrant Self-Deportation

President Donald Trump has unveiled a plan to offer financial incentives and plane tickets to undocumented immigrants who voluntarily leave the United States, marking a shift from his typically stringent immigration stance.Trump outlined a “self-deportation program” aimed at encouraging illegal immigrants to depart while prioritizing the removal of those with criminal records, particularly murderers.

Details of the initiative remain sparse, but Trump indicated that the U.S. government would provide airfare and a stipend to participants. “We’re going to give them some money and a plane ticket,” he said, adding that for those deemed “good,” the administration would facilitate their legal return to the U.S. as swiftly as possible.

A clip of a Mexican man who entered the U.S. illegally over two decades ago and has American citizen children. While his current legal status was not specified, Campos-Duffy noted that the man, unable to vote, expressed support for Trump and agreed that criminals should be deported, even if it included himself. Trump responded favorably, saying, “This is a guy that we want to keep,” and suggested the man faced no immediate deportation risk.

Trump also addressed labor shortages in industries like agriculture and hospitality, expressing a desire to assist hotels and farms by recommending workers to fill critical roles. He described the self-deportation process as “comfortable” and emphasized efforts to allow undocumented workers to return legally, though he provided no concrete steps for achieving this.

The interview aired as Trump continues to navigate immigration policy, a cornerstone of his campaign that promised large-scale deportations.