Homeland Security urges illegal migrants to self-deport

The Department of Homeland Security released a multimillion-dollar ad campaign domestically and internationally warning migrants against illegally entering the United States. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem debuted the campaign Monday night and encouraged illegal migrants currently in the United States to self-deport. Migrants found and deported by DHS will never be allowed to return, she said in the ad. She explained that migrants who make the conscious decision to leave may still have the opportunity to return legally in the future.

Why are the ads running domestically and internationally? While the domestic ad spot addressed migrants already in the country, the international ad spoke to anyone who is considering entering the United States illegally. Noem warned that anyone who illegally enters the country and breaks U.S. laws will be hunted down. America does not welcome criminals, she said.

Both ads will be broadcast in TV, radio, and online formats in multiple regions and in several dialects, according to a DHS statement. The department described its digital campaign as hyper-targeted towards illegal migrants through social media postings and text messages.