DHS's $200M Self-Deportation Campaign Faces Growing Criticism Amid Low Number of Self-Deportations

In May, the Trump administration launched Project Homecoming, an initiative offering financial incentives to undocumented immigrants who voluntarily return to their home countries in an attempt to curb illegal immigration, reduce government spending, and reinforce U.S. sovereignty.

Although promoted as a cost-effective alternative to traditional deportation, the program's impact has raised questions about whether it is delivering meaningful results.

As reported by The Latin Times earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security approved $200 million for a national and international advertising campaign designed to encourage undocumented immigrants to self-deport. The effort centers on the CBP Home app, which facilitates and tracks voluntary departures. Participants are eligible for up to $1,000 in financial assistance, a government-funded flight home and what officials have described as a chance to reenter the United States "the legal, right way."

Considering the scale of the investment, an NBC News investigation found that Project Homecoming has struggled to gain traction. Since its launch, downloads of the CBP Home app have fallen short of expectations, and DHS has not released official data on how many people have actually used it to leave the country.

Despite Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's claim in August that 1.6 million undocumented immigrants had left the United States, NBC News reported that Project Homecoming accounted for fewer than 400 self-deportations, according to internal DHS data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Between March 10 and April 16, just 356 people used the CBP Home app to self-deport, according to the report. A DHS spokesperson told NBC that the data cited were outdated and did not reflect activity following the program's formal announcement.

"The data report you have is outdated and comes from before May's announcement of Project Homecoming," the spokesperson said by email. "Tens of thousands of illegal aliens have utilized the app and taken control of their departure, and there continues to be sustained sign-ups."

Still, NBC also reported that CBP Home app downloads have declined steadily for months. In March, the app was downloaded 72,288 times globally. By July, downloads dropped to 18,208 — a 75 percent decrease — and fell further to 8,318 in August. According to data from Appfigures, a firm that tracks mobile apps, CBP Home has been downloaded 320,778 times since President Donald Trump returned to office in January. Only 91,000 of those downloads were inside the United States.

Some lawmakers have criticized the immigration campaign as overly political. House Democrats, including Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., argue the ads are designed to boost both Trump and Noem ahead of the election.

The television spots feature Noem praising Trump's leadership, along with footage of Trump saluting troops and walking through the White House.

"We should be focused on keeping the American people safe and secure, not producing glossy propaganda with tax dollars," said Thompson, the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, in a statement to NBC News.

As part of the administration's broader effort to deter illegal immigration, DHS also launched an ad campaign on Mexican television earlier this year. Narrated by Noem, the ads delivered a stark warning:

"If you are considering entering America illegally, don't even think about it. If you come to our country and break our laws, we will hunt you down. Criminals are not welcome in the United States."

In a July statement, DHS described Project Homecoming as an "incredibly generous opportunity" meant to encourage voluntary returns. But for some migrants interviewed by NBC News, leaving is far more complicated than officials suggest.

"You can't just get on a plane tomorrow and go," one woman told the outlet. "We have a home. We have to sell this home, get rid of everything that's in this home. It's just — you can't just leave like she [Noem] says." She estimated it would take her family nearly a year to complete the process.

Another woman said her husband plans to self-deport while she stays in the U.S. with their children. She said the fear of arrest and harsh conditions in immigration detention — not government ads — drove their decision.

"If something were to happen, he would never come back to us the same person," she said, referring to the mental toll detention might take. "And he doesn't deserve that, because he's not a criminal. I don't know how I would explain that to my kids."