The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced an increase in its incentive program for undocumented immigrants to voluntarily leave the United States. According to the agency, starting immediately, those who sign up for self-deportation through the CBP Home app will receive a $2,600 stipend along with a free flight home.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated, “Since January 2025, 2.2 million illegal aliens have voluntarily self-deported and tens of thousands have used the CBP Home program. To celebrate one year of this administration, the U.S. taxpayer is generously increasing the incentive to leave voluntarily for those in this country illegally – offering a $2,600 exit bonus. Illegal aliens should take advantage of this gift and self-deport because if they don’t, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return.”
The expanded offer follows DHS’s previous Home for the Holidays campaign and may be available only for a limited time. Participants who use the CBP Home app can also have any civil fines or penalties related to their immigration status forgiven.
DHS reports that enforced deportations cost an average of $18,245 per person. By comparison, each self-deportation via the new stipend offer will cost approximately $5,100 per person when using the CBP Home App—representing savings of more than $13,000 per individual for American taxpayers. The agency notes that nearly 100,000 people have already used the app.
President Trump’s administration recorded over 675,000 deportations during his first year in office. DHS officials emphasize that those remaining in the country without authorization are likely to face removal unless they participate in voluntary departure programs.
“Those illegal aliens who don’t take advantage of this special offer today have only one alternative: They will be arrested, deported, and they will never be able to return to the United States. The smart and simple thing to do is to start planning your trip home through CBP Home today,” according to DHS.
