The Trump administration has a new plan for immigrants in the U.S: leave, and we’ll pay you to do it. Literally. In a move that feels more like a reality TV twist than immigration policy, President Trump announced a self-deportation program offering $1,000 and a flight home to undocumented immigrants who voluntarily exit the country using a government app (yes, an app) for their one-way journey.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, this scheme is a “cost-effective and dignified” alternative to the complex and expensive deportation process that can rack up over $17,000 per person. So far, at least one migrant from Honduras has taken the offer, flying from Chicago back home with government funds.
But the thing is: what happens when “home” is a country like Nigeria, where the very conditions that pushed people to migrate such as power outages, limited opportunities, and economic instability, still exist? And what happens if more global powers follow suit?
Tariffs, Restrictions, and the Global Pushback
While Trump is busy paying people to leave, his economic policies are adding more pressure on the global stage. Recent tariff increases on imported goods, including key materials and electronics, are already raising eyebrows, especially among business owners in developing countries.Higher prices on essentials like tech parts and pharmaceuticals could hurt economies that rely heavily on trade with the U.S. This includes Nigeria.
But the U.S. isn’t acting alone. Across the Atlantic, the UK is tightening the reins on immigration too. British officials recently announced plans to introduce new visa restrictions targeted at countries like Nigeria, India, and Pakistan, essentially sending a message: don’t overstay your welcome.
Imagine the Skilled Nigerians Coming Home
Let’s pause and imagine a scenario: thousands of skilled Nigerians—software developers, nurses, engineers—forced to return “home.” Not out of choice, but because of visa clampdowns or financial incentives to leave.
They’d be arriving in a country where you can lose electricity in the middle of surgery, and where ASUU strikes can suspend a child’s university education for months. Job opportunities are often gated by connections instead of competence.
It’s not that these Nigerians don’t love home, they just can’t thrive here. When countries like the U.S. or UK start shutting their doors while also pushing people back out, it’s not just a personal crisis. It’s a national brain drain disaster
The False Promise of Reentry
Trump hinted that some of those who self-deport might “come back in” someday, if they’re good. That’s a pretty big “if.” Immigration lawyers and advocacy groups have called it a vague promise at best and a manipulation tactic at worst. There’s no clear path back, no guarantee, and for many, no future to return to in their home countries. The uncertainty surrounding such a statement leaves migrant families in limbo, unsure whether they’ll ever have a second chance to rebuild their lives in the U.S.
As Esther Reyes from Protecting Immigrant Families put it: “They’re clearly out of touch with the reality immigrant families face.” She’s absolutely right. The reality for many of these migrants is far from the stereotype of “illegal” border crossers. They aren’t criminals, nor are they looking for a life of luxury. Many are caretakers who provide essential services, doctors, nurses, and workers who keep the economy running. Others are students, striving for a better future that’s often inaccessible in their home countries due to violence, poverty, or political instability.
They didn’t leave out of greed—they left because they wanted safety, stability, and opportunity. They sought the promise of a better life, one where they could contribute and thrive. Now, they’re being told that their future is contingent on something as arbitrary as the ability to prove they’ve been “good.” That kind of uncertainty, combined with the very real obstacles they face in their home countries, makes the promise of a return seem more like a political tool than a genuine option for the millions who have already sacrificed so much..
What Nigerians Should Be Watching
These policies matter, not just for those living abroad, but for every Nigerian dreaming of “japa.”If global immigration doors continue to close, and countries like ours aren’t improving basic infrastructure and job access, what future are we offering our people?
If Nigeria can’t keep its best minds, and the world is pushing them back, we’ll be caught in a dangerous loop. We’ll be exporting talent and importing hardship.
We need to start seeing that stories like these are more than headlines; they’re warnings. The world is changing, and Nigeria must decide. Will we be a place our people are forced to return to, or one they choose to build in?
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