The Trump administration conducted its first charter flight for individuals voluntarily agreeing to return to their home countries as part of a broader crackdown on illegal immigration.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the initial flight from Houston included 64 participants, 38 bound for Honduras and 26 for Colombia. DHS said the individuals were greeted by government officials and family members upon arrival.
The initiative was part of a program that offers $1,000 to migrants who voluntarily self-deport to their home countries using the CBP Home App.
The Associated Press spoke with Kevin Antonio Posadas, who was happy to take the offer.
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“I wanted to see my family and my mom,” he said.
Posadas added, “It’s good because you save the cost of the flight if you have the intention of leaving.”
DHS said people who take part in the program preserve the possibility that they could eventually return to the U.S. legally.
“If you are here illegally, use the CBP Home App to take control of your departure and receive financial support to return home," DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated. "If you don’t, you will be subjected to fines, arrest, deportation and will never be allowed to return."
