Donald Trump now plans to help illegal immigrants who ‘self-deport’: Here's what he proposes to do
In a surprising shift, Donald Trump proposes a plan to assist illegal immigrants in self-deportation by offering airfare and stipends. This plan marks a departure from his previous hardline stance on immigration, aiming to create a smoother path for 'good' individuals to return legally.
Pursuing a crackdown on illegal immigrants, US President Donald Trump stated that he would “offer money and a plane ticket” to those who voluntarily leave the US. He also expressed interest in creating a way for those he considers "good" individuals to return, marking a shift from his typically tough stance on immigration.
As reported by the Associated Press, Trump, who campaigned on a pledge to carry out mass deportations, said in a taped interview with Fox Noticias that aired Tuesday that his administration is focused right now on getting “murderers” out of the country. But for others in the U.S. illegally, he said, he’s going to implement “a self-deportation program.”
Here's what Trump said on illegal immigration
Fox News interviewer Rachel Campos-Duffy, who is married to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, showed former President Trump a video of a Mexican man who reportedly came to the US illegally over 20 years ago and now has children who are American citizens.
While it’s unclear whether the man currently has legal status, Campos-Duffy said he expressed support for Trump despite not being able to vote. In the clip, the man agreed that individuals who commit crimes should be deported — including himself.
“I look at this man. I say, this is a guy that we want to keep,” Trump replied. “I’ll probably take heat for saying it.”
He then asked if the man was supposed to be deported and answered his own question: “No, he didn’t say that. Good.”
“I don’t think he’s in any danger of it,” Trump said.
What is Trump's plan?
Trump offered few details about the plan, including timing, but said the US would provide immigrants airfare and a stipend.
“We’re going to give them a stipend. We’re going to give them some money and a plane ticket, and then we’re going to work with them — if they’re good — if we want them back in, we’re going to work with them to get them back in as quickly as we can,” Trump said.
The US President also expressed a desire to assist hotels and farms in finding the needed workers, saying he would recommend individuals to fill those roles.
He described this approach as “very soothing” for farmers and emphasized that he wants undocumented workers to leave the country and return through legal channels, though he did not provide specific details on how that process would work.
Also Read: Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown: What is self-deportation? Why are Indians opting for it?
“We’re doing a self-deportation and we’re going to make it comfortable for people," he said. “And we’re going to work with those people to come back into our country legally.”
Fox Noticias said the interview with Trump was taped Monday.
(With inputs from AP)
- Trump's plan includes financial support for illegal immigrants who choose to leave voluntarily.
- The proposal represents a significant shift from Trump's previous immigration policies focused on mass deportations.
- The plan aims to identify 'good' individuals for potential legal re-entry into the U.S.
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