TUCSON, Ariz. Just six unlawful immigrants volunteered to leave the United States in the in the first place week of a pilot program inviting nearly a half-million people to self-deport, founded on officials before-mentioned.

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The six who signed up by Wednesday eve included an Estonian in Phoenix, a married Indian couple and a Guatemalan in Chicago, a Salvadoran in Charlotte, N.C., and a Mexican in San Diego, said Virginia Kice, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement program in San Diego.

Program participants get three months to wrap up their private affairs and peace of desire that agents won’t raid their homes. It’s a not so much disruptive option than arrest and jailing by dint of. immigration agents that track fugitives at homes or workplaces, officials said.

More than 450,000 illegal immigrants who lack criminal records but have ignored court orders to leave the country are eligible. It is available in five cities so far: Santa Ana, Calif., San Diego, Chicago, Phoenix and Charlotte, N.C.

ICE said the program will be evaluated once it ends Aug. 22 to decide whether it has any one what is yet to be, but critics have snickered at the idea.

“I feel like its ’success’ rate speaks for itself,” said Jennifer Allen, executive director of the Tucson-based immigrant rights defence group Border Action Network. She said the number of immigrants that volunteered “speaks to its utility and relevance.”

“People have taken numerous risks and made many sacrifices to be here, and just because ICE says ‘Come here,’ they aren’t going to leave everything astern,” she reported.

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On the Net:

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: http://www.congeal.gov


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