Trump Administration Offers $2,500 to Unaccompanied Migrant Children for Voluntary Departure

The Trump administration has introduced a controversial program offering unaccompanied migrant children aged 14 and older a $2,500 stipend to voluntarily return to their home countries, excluding those from Mexico. This initiative, confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, requires that payments only be made after an immigration judge approves the request and the child safely arrives in their country of origin. The program is part of a broader push by the administration to accelerate voluntary deportations, building on a previous $1,000 stipend offered to adult migrants. Critics, including Wendy Young of Kids in Need of Defense, have condemned the policy as a "cruel tactic" that coerces vulnerable children into returning to unsafe conditions, undermining legal protections guaranteed under U.S. immigration law. The Department of Health and Human Services defends the policy as giving minors a choice and allowing them to make an informed decision about their future. Currently, more than 2,100 unaccompanied children remain in government custody, and legal challenges continue regarding the administration's deportation efforts.