President Trump urged unauthorized immigrants to “self-deport” in a new video for social media campaign, during which he announced the launch of an app that will help migrants voluntarily leave the U.S.
“People in our country illegally can self deport the easy way, or they can get deported the hard way and that’s not pleasant,” Trump said in a 90-second video released on social platform X.
Trump introduced the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) Home app, which he says will give “people in our country illegally an easy way to leave now and self-deport voluntarily.”
The president said that if people use the CBP Home app to voluntarily deport, they could have the opportunity to potentially return legally at some point in the future. But, if they are found and deported, the option to come back to the U.S. will no longer be available.
He called the app the “safest option for illegal aliens, our law enforcement,” and said it saves the American taxpayer money because it uses less resources.
“The CBP Home app is now available free across all mobile app stores, and I encourage those who have violated our laws to use this option,” the president said in the video. “Today, do it right, and come back into our country. Do it wrong and you’ll never be back again.”
The Trump administration has been focused on mass deportations, which were stepped up this weekend when the president signed an order igniting the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, invoking war powers to remove any Venezuelan national believed to be a member of the Tren de Aragua gang.
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg over the weekend ordered flights carrying the Venezuelans to a Salvadoran prison to turn around but the administration continued with two flights, questioning the authority of the judge.
