$1,000 for Self-Deportations Is a Win for the Country
After the first hundred days of Donald Trump's second presidential administration, while debates swirl over tariffs, trade wars and foreign policy, there's one area that has been an absolute and undeniable success: the battle against illegal immigration. Overnight, the border has been sealed, and deportations have begun for the most violent among the millions of illegal immigrants in our country.
In no uncertain terms, the country has been a safer and more secure place since Jan. 20, 2025.
But to build on this success, the mission to remove millions of illegal immigrants must be multifaceted. It's not enough to just close the border, or just enforce work requirements, or just deport people already here. Each policy depends on the others, and each strengthens the overall platform.
One key element should be the enforcement of E-Verify, which would restrict illegal immigrants from using fraudulent Social Security numbers to gain employment. Another policy — already being explored by the Trump administration — is to encourage self-deportation.
By all accounts, it costs the U.S. government upwards of $17,000 to find, arrest, detain and deport a single illegal immigrant. So if someone is willing to leave for $1,000 and a plane ticket, wouldn't you take that deal?
That's exactly what the Trump administration is offering, with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem — taking a break from filming bizarre social media videos cosplaying as law enforcement — describing self-deportation as "the best, safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest."
Cost-effective? Yes. Safest? Absolutely.
This is a win-win for the administration and the country: saving time and taxpayer resources, while keeping law enforcement safe. Dominican American Rep. Adriano Espaillat doesn't agree, posting: "We don't bribe people to leave. We build a country where everyone belongs." Except ... you only belong here if you're here legally.
And let's be clear: This isn't bribery. It's fiscal responsibility. We're not handing out cash for favors; we're saving money by cutting out the bureaucratic middlemen. In a time when every taxpayer dollar matters, immigration policy needs to reflect both moral clarity and financial discipline.
Again, the "self-deportation" incentive is just one piece of a larger puzzle. It only makes sense as part of a broader, restrictive framework. Without strong border controls, visa enforcement and a crackdown on sanctuary policies, voluntary departure could become just another revolving door. But within Trump's immigration platform, it's part of a system that actually works: lock the front door, clean up the house and tell the uninvited guests it's time to leave — giving them a choice between a bus ticket or a battering ram.
This program also gives the administration the moral high ground against those who decry supposedly "inhumane" deportations. It offers a dignified exit — potentially with the opportunity for future, legal reentry — rather than mass roundups. The message is clear: If you come here illegally, you're going home. But if you leave peacefully and voluntarily, you might even earn a second chance.
That's not just smart policy; it's the kind of pragmatism that defines the most successful elements of the Trump presidency.