Operation Scheduled Departure

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has launched “Operation Scheduled Departure,” which will give the approximately 570,000 illegal aliens who have already received orders to leave the U.S., but have not done so a chance to voluntarily surrender to the authorities. They are to report between August 5-22, and will have 90 days to organize their affairs and leave the U.S.. Most of these people are here on overstayed visas.

Jim Hayes, acting director of detention and removal office at U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement told the Wall Street Journal:

The U.S. is home to more than 570,000 so-called fugitive aliens — immigrants who have received final orders to quit the country but haven’t done so. An estimated 550,000 of them don’t have a criminal record, and they are the targets of the pilot program…The strategy, which was hatched over several months, is to be launched on Aug. 5 in five cities home to large undocumented-immigrant populations: Phoenix, Santa Ana, Calif., San Diego, Chicago and Charlotte, N.C. It will continue until Aug. 22. Depending on the response, the program could be expanded to other cities.

Eligible immigrants will have up to 90 days to organize their departure, which must then be physically verified by the government. “We work with them to schedule their departure…In some instances, the government may assist with or pay for travel arrangements to the immigrant’s country of origin…(more)

According to the WSJ report:

Mr. Hayes declined to say how many people ICE forecasts will take part in the program or how much money it could save the government. The government spends, on average, $85 a day to keep an illegal immigrant in detention.