Trump Administration Launches Self-Deportation Campaign for Undocumented Immigrants

The Trump Administration's Self-Deportation Campaign

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is launching a multi-pronged effort to encourage undocumented immigrants to self-deport. This initiative includes a mobile app, a $200 million ad campaign, and messaging from Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.

The CBP One app, previously used by asylum seekers to apply for entry into the U.S., has been relaunched as the CBP Home app and now features a "self-deportation reporting feature." The app is part of a larger messaging campaign that includes ads starring Nielsen urging undocumented immigrants to leave the country.

The ads, which have aired in several major cities, feature Nielsen thanking President Trump for his immigration crackdown and stating that "President Trump has a clear message for those that are in our country illegally. Leave now. If you don’t, we will find you and we will deport you. You will never return."

DHS claims that self-deportation is "the safest option" for undocumented immigrants and "preserves law enforcement resources." However, immigration experts and advocates warn that the consequences of self-deportation can vary widely depending on individual circumstances and may preclude a person's chances of re-entering the U.S. legally.

Additionally, the Trump administration has terminated several legal immigration programs, leaving many immigrants who were previously in the country legally vulnerable to deportation. This has led to concerns that the self-deportation campaign is an attempt to bypass the logistical hurdles of finding and removing millions of undocumented immigrants.

Critics argue that the campaign's messaging is designed to make undocumented immigrants feel like they have no other option but to leave, despite their constitutional right to contest their removal in immigration court. They also warn that accepting voluntary departure, a legal option that allows a noncitizen to leave the U.S. instead of being deported, can bar re-entry even if a lawful basis exists.

While the new app could serve as a tool to track self-deportations, data on undocumented immigrants who choose to leave the country without formal removal proceedings does not currently exist. This makes it difficult to assess the effectiveness of the self-deportation campaign.