A lengthy Washington Post report, bolstered by government documents, has revealed a plan by the U.S. administration under President Donald Trump to implement voluntary repatriations for citizens from eight countries, including Libya. The proposal also targets individuals from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Haiti, Palestine, Syria, Yemen, and Sudan, though no specific timeline for the plan’s execution has been set.
The report cites a draft U.S. proposal that suggests allocating $250 million to facilitate these voluntary departures, with the potential offer of $1,000 to each individual who leaves the United States.
The Washington Post‘s journalistic investigation indicated that this draft proposal isn’t new; it was initially prepared by the previous Biden administration, which had considered using taxpayer funds to implement such a plan. However, President Trump’s current team has reportedly further developed it.
The Washington Post noted opposition from the United Nations’ immigration office in the U.S. However, the newspaper was unable to obtain a comment from the International Organization for Migration.
The United States is reportedly seeking to implement a voluntary return program for Ukrainian citizens who were granted “Temporary Protected Status” in 2022 following Russia’s war on Kyiv, numbering approximately 200,000 individuals. Similarly, the plan eyes around 500,000 Haitians who received “Temporary Protection” in 2010 after a devastating earthquake struck their country, causing immense human and economic losses.