Trump administration to offer unaccompanied minors $2,500 to self-deport, memo reveals

Voluntary departure has always been an option, but astonishing' decision to incentivize children to leave is new

The Trump administration wants to offer immigrant children $2,500 to self-deport, according to a memo obtained by the Guardian.

The memo, sent by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to legal providers representing unaccompanied children and reviewed by the Guardian, says that immigration officials have identified unaccompanied immigrant children 14 years of age and older in government custody who have expressed interest in voluntarily departing the US.