A recent administration proposal would offer $2,500 to unaccompanied children in U.S. custody if they agree to abandon their legal protections and return to their home countries.

What sounds at first like “help” is, in fact, a troubling attempt to pressure children into giving up their rights.

Where children are rejecting the offer, they are facing threats of deporting their family members and parents (for those who have parents in the U.S.) to coerce them.

These are some of the ways the policy becomes coercive:

Many children do not yet have legal representation when approached with this offer, and may not fully understand the consequences of giving up their legal claims.
The stipend is conditioned on agreeing to “voluntary departure,” meaning a child must withdraw their asylum or other protection claims — even if returning home is dangerous.
The child will only get the payout after returning home, so the government is effectively dangling money to persuade them to sign away their rights.
The program’s name (“resettlement stipend”) obscures its true purpose: a financial nudge to give up protections the child may desperately need.

This is particularly worrying because U.S. law already includes special protections for children, like the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), which requires that children be treated differently in immigration processes and that their best interests be considered.

At Shepelsky Law Group, we believe children, especially those fleeing abuse, violence, or persecution, should never be pushed into decisions they can’t fully understand. Legal protections exist for a reason — to give every child the chance to be heard, to have counsel, and to seek safety without fear or pressure.

If a child or family you know is facing immigration proceedings, or if you’re unsure about how a decision like this might affect someone’s rights, let us help. Call us today at (718)769-6352.