Arizona immigration attorneys skeptical about self-deportation plan
YUMA, AZ (AZFamily) — The Trump administration said it will pay undocumented immigrants to voluntarily leave the U.S. but some Arizona immigration lawyers are unconvinced about the proposal.
It’s the new incentive immigration officials are offering undocumented people who self-deport using the CBP Home mobile app. The Department of Homeland Security said individuals who self-deport will receive a free flight back to their home country plus a $1,000 payment, once their return has been verified.
In a news conference at the White House on Monday, President Donald Trump said self-deporting would give people a path to legally come back in the future. “We’re gonna work with them so that maybe someday with little work they can come back in, if they are good people,” Trump said.
Immigration attorney Mo Goldman isn’t buying what they’re selling. “Until they introduce a better pathway, I wouldn’t believe a word this administration has to say about immigration. They want to meet certain numbers and quotas that they are having difficulty meeting right now,” said Godman.
Deportations come at a high cost. DHS estimates it takes about $17,000 to detain and remove someone from the U.S. to their home country.
While a plane ticket and a stipend could be more cost-effective, another immigration attorney, Darius Amiri, doesn’t foresee any of his clients jumping at the opportunity. “One thousand bucks in comparison to getting legal status and staying here with your family is immeasurable,” said Amiri.
He recommends that anyone considering self-deportation should consult with an immigration lawyer first, warning people that returning to the U.S. later may be far more difficult than officials are making it seem. “Technically, if someone is here in the United States and for over a year without status and then departs, they are now subject to a 10-year ban,” said Amiri.
DHS also said that undocumented immigrants who choose to self-deport will be deprioritized from the list of individuals at risk of detention and removal.
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