Former President Donald Trump is stepping up measures to stem illegal immigration with a $200 million advertising campaign to encourage undocumented immigrants to voluntarily leave the United States. The effort, described as a “self-deportation” initiative, coincides as large-scale immigration raids are bogged down by logistical and legal issues, making removals en masse a hard option to implement.
The effort will use television commercials, online mobilization, and community messaging to emphasize the dangers of staying in the country illegally. Officials supporting the initiative contend that voluntary departure lowers enforcement expenses and reduces legal fights linked to forced expulsions. Trump has been a long-time supporter of tough immigration policies, and the newest initiative fits with his hardline approach to border security.
Critics are, however, unconvinced with the initiative’s effectiveness and morality. Immigrant rights activists say that such campaigns are usually based on fear and misinformation, which put undue pressure on undocumented families. Voluntary departures based on coercion also raise some legal minds as to whether they amount to free choice.
While Trump continues to mold the immigration discourse, the effectiveness of the self-deportation campaign is unclear. As the 2024 election cycle picks up, immigration is set to remain a salient issue, sparking contentious divides among proponents and detractors of stricter enforcement.
