海角大神

Gentle ways to deal with illegal migration

Even as Los Angeles is now a battleground over migrant issues, the U.S. has joined hands with the United Nations in assisting the voluntary return of unauthorized migrants to their home countries. It鈥檚 an opening for consensus.

|
AP
A Honduran migrant who returned voluntarily from the United States walks from the airport in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, May 19.

Violent protests in Los Angeles over the arrests of people for violating U.S. immigration laws have resulted in a similarly intimidating reaction over the weekend: The Trump administration deployed the National Guard in the city to defend federal property and officers. Both responses set a new low in the nation鈥檚 ability to resolve the debate over unauthorized migrants 鈥 an issue that was the second most important one for Republican voters in the 2024 presidential election after inflation.

Yet even as the forceful arrests, fiery protests, and questionable use of guard members stay in the news, a different and peaceful approach has taken hold in recent weeks: the voluntary return of unauthorized migrants to their countries of origin 鈥 with many possibly able to seek legal entry to the United States.

鈥淚 wanted to see my family and my mom,鈥 one returnee, Kevin Antonio Posadas, told The Associated Press. After living in Houston for three years, he went back to Honduras on May 16 with a $1,000 debit card from the U.S. government and an offer to someday apply for a U.S. visa. The administration claims thousands of migrants have taken up an offer to 鈥渟elf-deport.鈥

In early May, the White House teamed up with an arm of the United Nations, the International Organization for Migration, to provide 鈥渟upport to those who choose to return, helping them make a life-changing decision with care and clarity,鈥 as the IOM puts it.

The Switzerland-based IOM, founded after World War II, has a track record of helping many countries strengthen their rule of law by aiding migrants to return home safely and willingly, making sure they have the support to start a new life. It has assisted the return of more than 1.5 million people over the past few decades, claiming its 鈥渞ights-based鈥 method allows migrants 鈥渢o regain agency and make informed decisions.鈥 In addition, governments can save money by avoiding the removal of migrants through adversarial legal proceedings.

Many migrants in the U.S., of course, have planted roots. Some await asylum hearings. They are unlikely to return to their home country. But if a system of voluntary returns grows, it may lay the groundwork for a consensus in Congress to deal with the complex issues of migration.

Or, as the IOM puts it, 鈥淩obust, well-run return systems are essential to maintaining the integrity of migration and asylum policies in support of States鈥 sovereign right to regulate migration.鈥

You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.
Real news can be honest, hopeful, credible, constructive.
What is the Monitor difference? Tackling the tough headlines 鈥 with humanity. Listening to sources 鈥 with respect. Seeing the story that others are missing by reporting what so often gets overlooked: the values that connect us. That鈥檚 Monitor reporting 鈥 news that changes how you see the world.

Give us your feedback

We want to hear, did we miss an angle we should have covered? Should we come back to this topic? Or just give us a rating for this story. We want to hear from you.

 
QR Code to Gentle ways to deal with illegal migration
Read this article in
/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2025/0609/Gentle-ways-to-deal-with-illegal-migration
QR Code to Subscription page
Start your subscription today
/subscribe