Washington, October 4, 2025 – The Europe Today: The US government is preparing to offer migrant teenagers a $2,500 stipend to voluntarily return to their home countries, according to an administration memo released on Friday.
The memorandum, issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), stated that immigration officials have identified unaccompanied immigrant children aged 14 and older in federal custody who wish to voluntarily depart the United States.
“The administration will provide a one-time resettlement support stipend of $2,500 to unaccompanied alien children, 14 years of age and older, who have elected to voluntarily depart the United States as of the date of this notice and moving forward,” the memo noted.
It further clarified that the stipend is intended to assist reintegration efforts in the children’s countries of origin. However, unaccompanied minors from Mexico will not be eligible for the program.
The initiative will first be offered to 17-year-old migrants and will require approval from an immigration judge.
Since taking office, the Trump administration has pursued measures to reduce the number of immigrant children in the United States, including cutting federal funding for legal aid programs and limiting legal representation for unaccompanied minors.
As of October 2, approximately 2,100 unaccompanied migrant children remain in US custody. The administration has intensified efforts to repatriate them, including a controversial and ultimately blocked attempt in August to return dozens of Guatemalan children due to concerns over parental safety.
