Immigration not offering $750 to report illegal immigrants, says US agency

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has denied reports that it is offering money to persons who report people living in the country illegally.

On January 20, an Instagram user posted claims that ICE is offering money to whistleblowers on illegal immigrants.

“BREAKING: ICE is allegedly offering $750 per illegal immigrant that you turn in through their tip form,” the post reads.

“You can call the ICE hotline at 866-DHS-2-ICE – 866-347-2423.”

The post garnered more than 8,000 likes in three days.

However, ICE debunked the claims in a post on Saturday.

“Contrary to rumors, ICE is not giving a $750 reward for tips in support of civil immigration enforcement objectives,” the post reads.

Before winning the presidential election in November, US President Donald Trump harped on the need to carry out a “mass deportation” of illegal immigrants.

Trump has repeatedly blamed illegal immigrants for the upsurge in crime and gun violence across the country. He signed a slew of executive orders on the first day of his second coming — with the mass deportation of “illegal immigrants” at the top of his list.

On Friday, US television networks reported that the mass deportation of  immigrants, through military aircrafts, had commenced.

The president also declared a national emergency at the US-Mexico border and ordered the deployment of troops to enhance border security.

“All illegal entry will immediately be halted. And we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came,” Trump said.

The president also said his administration reinstated the ‘Remain in Mexico’ programme, which required asylum seekers to wait in Mexico during their US immigration proceedings.