The Trump administration is offering unaccompanied migrant children $2,500 (€2,129) to voluntarily return to their home countries, according to a letter sent to migrant shelters and confirmed by immigration authorities.

According to the letter sent by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Refugee Resettlement, the department will provide a "one-time resettlement support stipend of $2,500" to unaccompanied children 14 or older.

Trump allocated $250 million for voluntary deportations

Under US federal law, migrant children who cross the border without a parent or legal guardian are classified as unaccompanied and placed in federal shelters until they can be released to a relative or foster care.

The process will start with 17-year-olds, according to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official, but will not include minors from Mexico.

"Any payment to support a return home would be provided after an immigration judge grants the request and the individual arrives in their country of origin," ICE said in a statement.

"Access to financial support when returning home would assist should they choose that option."

Under President Donald Trump, $250 million was allocated to DHS in June by the State Department for voluntary deportations, with migrants being offered $1,000 to self-deport.

Critics decry 'cruel tactics'

Rights advocates have criticized the program.

Wendy Young, president of Kids in Need of Defense, told Reuters news agency that it is "a cruel tactic" which undermines protections for children fleeing violence.

Melissa Adamson of the National Center for Youth Law told AP news agency that $2,500 "might be the most money they've ever seen," making it hard for children to assess the long-term risks of voluntary deportation versus staying in the US.

Meanwhile, the administration's efforts to speed deportations have faced legal pushback. A federal judge recently barred the removal of Guatemalan minors with pending immigration cases.

As of Thursday, more than 2,100 unaccompanied children were in federal custody, according to HHS. Since 2019, more than 600,000 unaccompanied minors have crossed the US-Mexico border, government data shows.

Edited by: Wesley Dockery