SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras (AP) — The United States sent 68 immigrants from Honduras and Colombia back to their countries Monday on the first government-funded flight of what the Trump administration is calling voluntary deportations.
Experts believe the self-deportation offer will only appeal to a small portion of migrants already considering return, but unlikely to spur high demand.
He said eventually he would consider taking up the U.S. government’s offer of allowing those who self-deport to apply to enter the United States legally.
Among the migrants arriving voluntarily Monday were four children who were born in the United States, García said.
“Our responsibility is that they come in an orderly fashion and we support them.” ___ González reported from Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras (AP) — On Monday, the United States returned 68 immigrants from Honduras and Colombia to their home countries in the first flight of government-funded deportations that the Trump administration has referred to as voluntary.
39 Hondurans, including 19 children, got off the charter plane in San Pedro Sula, a city in northern Honduras, with $1,000 debit cards from the U.S. S. government and the opportunity to eventually apply for admission to the United States legally. S. .
U. S. President Donald Trump has committed to significantly increasing the number of deportations. The offer of self-deportation, according to experts, is unlikely to generate strong demand and will only appeal to a small percentage of migrants who are already thinking about returning. Alongside the offer, there have been widely reported migrant detentions in the United States. S. and transporting a few hundred Venezuelan refugees by air to an El Salvadorian maximum-security jail.
After three years in Houston, Tegucigalpa native Kevin Antonio Posadas was already thinking about returning to Honduras when the Trump administration made the offer.
Posadas said, “I wanted to see my mom and my family,” and that the procedure was simple.
“You simply apply (using the CBP Home app), and you’ll receive it in three days,” he stated. On Monday morning, the flight departed Houston. “It’s advantageous since you can avoid paying for the flight if you plan to depart. “.”.
According to Posadas, he enjoyed living in the United States and had no fear of deportation. A. had been considering returning home for a while, though. He stated that he would eventually think about enrolling in the U. S. . Self-deporters are given the opportunity to apply for legal entry into the United States by the government.
Regarding the flight on Monday, U. A. “If you are here illegally, use the CBP Home App to take control of your departure and receive financial support to return home,” stated Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Failure to do so will result in fines, arrest, deportation, and permanent exclusion. “”.
A U.S. official said 26 additional migrants were on the flight, returning home to Colombia. S. . National Security Agency statement.
According to Antonio García, Honduras’ deputy foreign minister, the government of Honduras will also provide $100 in cash and an additional $200 in credit at a government-run store that sells essentials to the returning migrants.
According to García, four children born in the United States were among the migrants who voluntarily arrived on Monday.
At the airport, García met the arriving migrants, who informed him that “being in the U.S. S. Things had become more hostile, they were afraid to go to work, and it had become harder to obtain the documents needed for legal immigration or residency.
Still, the number of Hondurans deported from the U. S. . According to Honduran immigration director Wilson Paz, the pace this year is slower than it was last year.
Approximately 13,500 Hondurans have been expelled from the United States. A. By this time in 2024, the number had risen to over 15,000, according to Paz.
Despite the goals of the Trump administration, he didn’t anticipate that the number would significantly increase.
Because they believe their time in the United States is valuable, some would keep applying to self-deport. A. is up, or because working is becoming more difficult, he said.
Paz stated, “I don’t think thousands of people will apply for the program.”. It is our duty to ensure that they arrive in a well-organized manner and that we assist them. “.”
.
