Billionaire Shark Tank Judge Mark Cuban Backs Financial Incentives for Self-Deportation: 'Only Humane Option So Far'

Billionaire entrepreneur and Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban has endorsed the idea of paying immigrants to voluntarily leave the United States, calling it "the only humane option so far" amid controversy over the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) self-deportation program.

In a series of posts on X referring to immigrants and their impact on the U.S., Cuban argued that offering money to encourage voluntary departure would be cheaper for taxpayers than detentions and deportations. "I got no problem with offering more money for self-deportation. Cheaper to taxpayers. The only humane option so far," he wrote.

Later on, after another X user said that "any illegal in America costs me money," Cuban answered by saying: "Illegal is illegal. No way around it. But, the data says that they contribute more than they take." Cuban also suggested that states such as California should have the right to manage immigration policy within their own budgets, saying that it should be their choice to make:"

In another exchange, a user criticized his comments by saying that "illegals should be deported, not rewarded," to which Cuban responded by saying:

"Should we refund them some percentage of the taxes they paid in the year they are deported ? Sales Tax ? Tariffs ? Excise Taxes ? Taxes on wages if applicable?"

Cuban's comments come as DHS promotes an initiative allowing undocumented immigrants to register for voluntary departure through the CBP Home mobile app, which the agency says offers cost-free travel, forgiveness of fines, and a $1,000 exit bonus.

According to the DHS website, those who pass background checks and schedule their own return "will be temporarily deprioritized by ICE for detention or enforcement" and allowed to leave "in an orderly and lawful way." The program's stated goal is to provide "a safe, orderly alternative that provides assistance and flexibility, not fear."

The initiative, however, has been criticized by immigration advocates and legal experts who argue that DHS is overstating what it can legally offer. A June analysis by The Marshall Project described the program's promises as "deeply misleading," noting that under current law, migrants who leave the U.S. after more than a year of unlawful presence face a 10-year reentry bar, regardless of how they depart.

The organization also reported that the app-based program lacks a legal mechanism to waive that penalty and could expose participants to additional consequences, including missed court hearings and reentry restrictions.

Immigration attorneys also questioned whether the $1,000 payment is guaranteed. "There is nothing to stop the government from simply deporting people who sign up for it," immigration lawyer Raul A. Reyes told The Hillback in May, adding that no statute authorizes cash payments to undocumented migrants.

Despite the legal uncertainty, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has described the initiative as a "financial support program" and said it reflects Americans' desire for "a humane solution" to immigration enforcement.