Trump says he wants to give money and airplane tickets to immigrants who
'self-deport'
[April 16, 2025]
By MICHELLE L. PRICE
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he wants to give money and
an airplane ticket to any immigrant who is in the country illegally who
chooses to “self-deport,” and work to get those who are “good” back in
the U.S., a break from his usual hardline immigration rhetoric.
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.”
Trump offered few details about the plan, including timing, but said the
U.S. 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.
Fox Noticias interviewer Rachel Campos-Duffy, who is married to
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, played Trump a clip of a Mexican
man who she said arrived in the U.S. illegally more than 20 years ago
and has children who are American citizens.
It is not clear if the man now has legal permission to be in the
country, but Campos-Duffy said the man said that even though he cannot
vote, he would have supported Trump. She played a clip of the man saying
he agrees that if someone commits a crime, they should be returned to
their countries — including himself.
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President Donald Trump speaks during the Commander-in-Chief trophy
presentation to the Navy Midshipman football team in the East Room
of the White House, Tuesday, April 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP
Photo/Alex Brandon)
“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.
The Republican president also said wants to help hotels and farms
get the workers they need and recommend people to fill needed
positions.
He said that would be “very soothing” to farmers and said he
ultimately wants workers who are in the U.S. illegally to leave and
come back with legal permission, but he did not outline any steps to
do that.
“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.
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Associated Press writer Will Weissert contributed to this report.
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