DHS Secretary Noem promotes Trump-era self-deportation incentives after joining ICE deportation flight from Guatemala to the U.S.

Noem Turns Flight Hiccup into Policy Highlight

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem found herself improvising her return trip from Guatemala on Thursday, hitching a ride with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after her original plane encountered issues. ICE had just completed a deportation mission, returning individuals with criminal convictions such as drug trafficking, arson, and assault to Guatemala. Noem seized the opportunity to highlight the Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement.

Noem announced that, under current policy, undocumented immigrants without criminal records are offered free travel out of the United States and receive $1,000 if they choose to self-deport. Additionally, those who opt for voluntary departure have any "failure to depart" fines waived. “Hitched a ride back to the USA on ICE Air—great flight. Use the [CBP Home] app to self deport now!” Noem stated, urging those in the country unlawfully to take advantage of these incentives before facing detention or legal consequences.

The ICE flight left Alexandria, Louisiana, and landed in Guatemala at 1:30 p.m., just two hours before Noem joined the return leg. The secretary’s visit to Central America also included stops in Panama, Honduras, and Costa Rica, focusing on broader regional cooperation on migration.

Expanding Regional Cooperation and Security

During her trip, Noem secured new agreements with Honduras and Guatemala, paving the way for both countries to accept asylum seekers and grant them refugee status. “Honduras and now Guatemala, after today, will be countries that will take those individuals and give them refugee status as well,” Noem told reporters. She emphasized that the United States should not be the sole destination for refugees and that safety could be provided in other countries facing instability.

Additionally, the United States and Honduras signed a "statement of intent" for biometric cooperation, a move Noem described as critical for identifying criminals and terrorists attempting to cross borders. “We strengthened our partnership to combat illegal migration by signing a statement of intent for biometric cooperation—a critical tool to help both Honduras and the United States detect criminals and terrorists attempting to cross our borders,” Noem wrote in a post on X.

The diplomatic tour and travel mishap ultimately provided a high-profile demonstration of the administration’s renewed focus on voluntary deportation, international partnerships, and new technological tools to manage migration and border security. With growing efforts to share responsibility for asylum seekers, U.S. officials hope to reduce the pressure on the nation’s immigration system while strengthening regional security alliances.