Like a page ripped from The Onion: ICE’s new deport-yourself plan isn’t such a hit among undocumented immigrants. Surprisingly, people who have risked their lives and left their families behind to have a better life on U.S. soil are reluctant to leave. How about that?

That invitation drew hardly any takers Tuesday on the first day of a new federal “self-deportation” program that offered 457,000 eligible illegal immigrants the chance to turn themselves in, get their affairs in order and leave the country without being detained.

The tepid response only reinforced doubts about an idea that has drawn criticism and even ridicule from both sides of the immigration debate.

“You would have to be crazy — who would want to turn themselves in?” said Angel Martinez, a construction worker who waited Tuesday outside ICE’s Charlotte, North Carolina, office while his son visited a friend detained on immigration violations.

Indeed, Mr. Martinez. I’d like to know who the knucklehead behind this idea was. I think we could have saved the government the few million they’ve likely spent if they would have bounced the idea off of us first.

Via / CNN