US Announces Financial Package for Ghanaians, Other Nationals Willing to Leave the Country
- An announcement by the United States to people living in the country without legal status triggered reactions online
- The US Department of Homeland Security announced a financial package for those who want to leave the country
- Social media users who took to the comments section have shared their views on the latest announcement by the US
- US-based immigration lawyer Akua Poku shared insights into what goes into agreeing to accept voluntary departure from the US
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The United States set social media ablaze with its latest announcement on ongoing efforts to remove illegal immigrants from the country.
This time, the country has reminded people without legal status that it has introduced a program to allow them to voluntarily leave.
Source: UGC
In a Facebook post on March 26, the Department of Homeland Security announced that participants would be provided with a free flight home.
Additionally, an amount of $2,600, equivalent to about GH₵29,000, would be given to each person as an incentive.
For those who volunteer to leave the country under their own initiative, the Department of Homeland Security said they would be forgiven and not fined.
Source: Getty Images
The statement concluded by announcing that persons who take advantage of the initiative could use the CBP Mobile App to facilitate the process.
“HOMESICK? Receive a FREE flight home and a $2,600 exit bonus when you use CBP Home to self-deport. The Department of Homeland Security has announced a historic opportunity for illegal aliens to receive cost-free travel, forgiveness of any failure to depart fines, and a $2,600 exit bonus to facilitate travel back to their home country or another country where they have lawful status through the CBP Home Mobile App,” the post read.
Advantages of voluntary departure
In a comment to YEN.com.gh, US-based immigration lawyer Akua Poku, popularly known as AK Poku, highlighted the advantages of persons who opt for voluntary departure from the US. She explained that this includes having no order of deportation on one’s immigration record.
“There are more ways for them to lawfully return to the U.S. if they take voluntary departure. If they take voluntary departure, they may be able to apply for a visa to return to the U.S. from their home country, or family members in the U.S. may be able to petition for them to enter legally.”
At the time of writing, the post had racked up over 1,000 likes and 500 comments.
Below is the Facebook post:
Reactions to US's offer for self-deportation
Social media users who took to the comments section of the post have shared hilarious reactions on the offer by the US government to immigrants without legal status.
Rebekah Egresites stated:
“Can I give up my citizenship and pick one of these countries?”
Elizabeth Anderson opined:
“Is there a statute of limitations? My family came over on the Mayflower. Can I cash in on a trip to England, or should it be to the Netherlands?”
Angelique Verbarg added:
“Is it possible to renounce my US citizenship and seamlessly trade it for the UK or Germany?”
Jennifer Knoll opined:
“Yes. My grandparents were born in Italy, where they defeated fascism in the 1940s. Now that it’s here in the USA, may I defect to Italy please?”
Gretchen McDonough wrote:
“I AM homesick... can you give me back my country, please and thank you? And maybe my Constitution and Bill of Rights too while you’re at it?”
US Embassy transitions to new website
Earlier, YEN.com.gh previously reported that the US Embassy in Accra had moved to a new visa services provider.
The move marked the end of access to the previous website and services, which were discontinued in 2024.
Applicants were urged to visit the new website to create an account, which would be used to update preferences.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
