Trump orders 20,000 new officers to enforce deportations

President Donald Trump has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to recruit at least 20,000 new officers to support a sweeping deportation effort, part of a broader initiative he calls “Project Homecoming.”

The plan aims to incentivize undocumented immigrants to leave the U.S. voluntarily, offering paid travel and a $1,000 “exit bonus” through a new federal program.

In a video statement Friday, Trump said he was making it “as easy as possible” for undocumented immigrants to self-deport, while warning those who stay could face “significant jail time,” wage garnishment, and confiscation of property.

The executive order instructs DHS to expand staffing through new hires, as well as by deputizing local and state law enforcement and contracting former federal officers. However, it does not specify how the expansion will be funded. Immigration and Customs Enforcement currently employs over 21,000 people, including about 6,100 deportation officers.

The administration's harsher deportation measures have faced setbacks in federal court. Judges in Texas and New York recently ruled Trump's use of the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act to expel certain migrants unlawful.

Despite legal challenges, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced this week that bonuses and government-funded travel would be offered to encourage voluntary departures via the CPB Home app.

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