The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed on Wednesday a boost in financial incentives for migrants who choose to voluntarily leave the United States.
Under the enhanced CBP Home program, participants will now receive a stipend of $2,600, in addition to a complimentary flight back to their home country, according to a DHS statement.
This initiative, branded as a “gift” in celebration of the first anniversary of Donald Trump's new term, aims to cut deportation expenses and expedite voluntary departures.
Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, noted that over 2.2 million individuals have self-deported since January 2025, with “tens of thousands” utilizing the CBP Home app.
“The American taxpayer is generously increasing the incentive for illegal aliens to leave voluntarily. It’s an opportunity: if they don’t take it, we will find them, arrest them, and they won’t return,” Noem cautioned.
The DHS highlighted that this revamped program is a cost-saving measure: a forced deportation amounts to $18,245, whereas a voluntary departure with a stipend costs just $5,100, resulting in savings of over $13,000 per individual.
Moreover, those using the app can avoid fines or civil penalties.
To date, more than 100,000 migrants have used the digital system to register and coordinate their return.
The DHS described this option as “the best New Year’s resolution an illegal immigrant can make,” urging those still in the country to seize the offer “before it’s too late.”
The stipend-backed self-deportation program has faced criticism and skepticism, with many online users labeling it as utterly false or propagandistic.
As reported by EFE, while the DHS claims over 2.2 million migrants have voluntarily participated in the measure since January 2025, the agency has not provided verifiable data to support this figure.
A Brookings Institution analysis estimates the actual number of deportations is between 310,000 and 350,000, significantly lower than the 778,000 repatriations recorded in the last full fiscal year of Joe Biden’s administration and far from the million annual target promised by Donald Trump's team.
In May, President Donald Trump announced that $1,000 would be given to each undocumented immigrant willing to return voluntarily to their home country.
Similarly, last December, the U.S. government unveiled a new federal program that raised the economic incentive from $1,000 to $3,000 for undocumented immigrants choosing to leave the country voluntarily before year’s end as a holiday stipend.
Understanding Trump's Self-Deportation Incentive Program
What is the CBP Home program?
The CBP Home program is an initiative by the Department of Homeland Security offering financial incentives and a free flight to migrants who voluntarily decide to leave the United States.
How much money do migrants receive under this program?
Migrants who participate in the program are eligible to receive a stipend of $2,600, along with a complimentary flight back to their country of origin.
What are the benefits of using the CBP Home program?
Participants in the CBP Home program can avoid fines or civil penalties, and the program is a cost-effective alternative to forced deportations.
Why has the program faced criticism?
The self-deportation program has been criticized for lacking verifiable data to support DHS claims and has been viewed as propagandistic by some users on social media.