We've all seen the ads.
A flood of media spots spreading over TV, radio, billboards, and social media, all part of a $200 million fear campaign promoting "self-deportation," and fronted by a bellicose Kristi Noem.
At the end, she offers a stark ultimatum: take $1,000 cash and a return flight to your country of origin now. Or "be hunted down," while racking up $1,000 a day in fines a permanent ban on ever re-entering the United States.
Legal experts and immigrant rights advocates, both in Los Angeles and across the country, say this campaign undermines due process and could have severe consequences. They warn that accepting the offer may block any legal route back to the U.S. And now, they're even warning that using the campaign's app can risk exposing sensitive biometric data to federal databases.
Concerned about the impact on our communities, L.A. TACO spoke with two prominent immigrant advocates to clarify what is at stake.
Amelia Dagen, senior attorney at the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, says the campaign misleads immigrants into believing they have no choice.
"It gives people the false idea that this is their only and best option," she says, emphasizing that the government's messaging is "not legal advice."
Dagen tells us that, as of March 2025, the new "self-deportation" campaign and its app have replaced long-standing, federally funded legal information programs that once guided immigrants through the complexities of the legal system.
"This is part of a larger propaganda push from the administration to replace all legal information with the singular message that people should leave the country, without any consideration of their options to stay lawfully," she told L.A. TACO.
After the Department of Justice cut those existing support programs, Amica and other groups filed suit, arguing that the move violated due process and congressional intent.
Although a federal court ruled in favor of the DOJ, Amica has appealed. In the meantime, immigrants receive only automated "get out now" notifications instead of legal guidance.
Dagen calls the campaign "misleading at best." She warns that official messaging ignores legitimate legal defenses to deportation: "It's not telling people, 'Hey, you have options.' There are paths to relief: you may qualify for asylum or cancellation of removal, and your family may be able to petition for you."
A serious risk, Dagen warns, is the lack of coordination if someone "self-deports" before their immigration court date; there's no certainty that the courts will be notified appropriately, so a person can be marked as a no-show.
"Self-deporting, as the government is trying to get everyone to do, could actually close them off from ever being able to return in the future at all," she said.
The collection of biometric data can significantly increase the likelihood of being targeted, regardless of one's criminal record or status.
Failing to appear results in an "in absentia" removal, in which a judge orders deportation due to an absence in court, often with no hearing, no evidence presented, and no defense. Such orders are extremely difficult to overturn and frequently bar any legal return for years, or possibly permanently.
"To take the government at its word, without fully understanding your options, is a very risky endeavor," says Jean Reiz, co-director at the USC Immigration Clinic.
She further highlights that, "the main way the government determines if someone is removable is by their own statements made to the government. Any kind of app is going to record information that can be used against that person."
She warns that the app can provide data used for future enforcement, and that this information may be shared across federal agencies, thereby increasing the risk of detention.
Reiz additionally stresses that the collection of your biometric data can significantly increase the likelihood of being targeted, regardless of one's criminal record or status.
Especially facial recognition and fingerprints, which do more than just verify identity, and can be exploited to expand enforcement tactics.
"We're seeing really aggressive government efforts and quotas to arrest as many people as possible. It often turns into a dragnet based on ethnicity and stereotypes," she says.
This facial recognition data, as reported by 404 Media, can potentially bypass constitutional protections such as the right to remain silent and the right to refuse questioning. A digital match from a mobile phone can also allow agents to sidestep established safeguards against unreasonable searches and seizures.
There is also the added problem that facial recognition is frequently inaccurate when identifying faces of people of color. Research finds that Black, Latino, and Asian individuals are more likely to be misidentified, a particular concern in Los Angeles, given that ICE has a history of mistakenly arresting people.
While the Trump administration claims to have sent out $2 billion in fines to 7,000 people, Reiz questioned whether the announced threat of $1,000-a-day fines for remaining in the country is even legal, saying she has heard of the threat of fines but is unaware of any law that permits such penalties.
"I know anecdotally of certain tactics that are being used for people who have been arrested in some of these massive kind of raids and enforcement operations, where they are being pressured to waive their rights in detention and waive their rights to hearings and to sign the voluntary departure forms," she said.
This often happens without the participant fully understanding the consequences or consulting with an attorney. Reiz said such high-pressure tactics can lead immigrants to unknowingly waiving their fundamental rights and legal protections.
For those living with the fear of arrest or family separation, Reiz emphasizes the importance of having a plan and seeking legal counsel. Simply knowing your rights and having an attorney or trusted contact can reduce anxiety and make a difference if ICE or DHS comes knocking.
"You have the right to due process," Reiz says. "If you've been here more than two years, you have the right to go before an immigration judge, to challenge the government's case, and to present evidence in your defense."
She adds that understanding these protections, and the possibility of applying for relief even after being placed in removal proceedings, can give people hope and some control in an environment filled with uncertainty.
"Knowing there could be an alternative to immediate detention or deportation, and that you can go to court and fight your case, might help with the fear and anxiety," Reiz says.
