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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4k3j91q84o
Donald Trump has ordered the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to add at least 20,000 officers to enforce his deportation policies.
The US president's directive was issued on Friday and forms part of his administration's plan to incentivise undocumented immigrants to self-deport.
In a video, Trump said he was making it "as easy as possible" for them to leave the US.
The federal government will fund flights out of the US for undocumented people who choose to leave voluntarily and provide an "exit bonus", the executive order stated.
The president's call to increase staff comes as his administration pursues multiple pathways to force undocumented immigrants to leave the US.
His order on Friday did not specify how the increase in staffing at the DHS would be funded.
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the sub-agency that primarily deals with illegal immigration, currently has more than 21,000 employees.
Of those, it has 6,100 deportation officers and more than 750 enforcement removal assistants, according to the agency's website.
Trump has long called for local and state law enforcement, as well as the National Guard, to assist with border enforcement.
The order calls on the DHS to supplement its current efforts "by deputising and contracting with state and local law enforcement officers, former federal officers, officers and personnel within other federal agencies".
Donald Trump has ordered the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to add at least 20,000 officers to enforce his deportation policies.
The US president's directive was issued on Friday and forms part of his administration's plan to incentivise undocumented immigrants to self-deport.
In a video, Trump said he was making it "as easy as possible" for them to leave the US.
The federal government will fund flights out of the US for undocumented people who choose to leave voluntarily and provide an "exit bonus", the executive order stated.
The president's call to increase staff comes as his administration pursues multiple pathways to force undocumented immigrants to leave the US.
His order on Friday did not specify how the increase in staffing at the DHS would be funded.
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the sub-agency that primarily deals with illegal immigration, currently has more than 21,000 employees.
Of those, it has 6,100 deportation officers and more than 750 enforcement removal assistants, according to the agency's website.
Trump has long called for local and state law enforcement, as well as the National Guard, to assist with border enforcement.
The order calls on the DHS to supplement its current efforts "by deputising and contracting with state and local law enforcement officers, former federal officers, officers and personnel within other federal agencies".
