U.S. Expands Self-Deportation Program, Triples The Bonus for Those Who Leave by Year's End

The Department of Homeland Security has tripled its "exit bonus" for undocumented migrants who voluntarily leave the United States, raising the incentive from $1,000 to $3,000 for those who register with the government and depart by Dec. 31, 2025.

DHS said eligible participants who use the CBP Home app to arrange their departure by the end of the year will also receive free airfare to their home countries and relief from certain civil fines or penalties tied to unlawful presence. Under the program, migrants signal their intent to leave through the app, and the stipend is paid after the government confirms the person has departed.

In a statement to CBS News, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem warned that migrants who do not take advantage of the incentive will be "found," "arrested" and "never return" to the United States.

The CBP Home platform is modeled on the Biden-era CBP One app, which was originally used to schedule asylum appointments. Under the Trump administration, it has been repurposed to facilitate voluntary departures as part of a broader enforcement strategy that also includes arrests by ICE and Customs and Border Protection.

DHS said the increased bonus is part of a holiday-season campaign aimed at accelerating removals and cutting costs. ICE has estimated that arresting, detaining and removing an undocumented migrant costs about $17,000 on average.

DHS also said participants are deprioritized for ICE arrest and detention as long as they show "meaningful strides" toward leaving, though the department has not detailed how compliance is measured or how long that status lasts.

A recent analysis by The Atlantic found that about 35,000 people had used CBP Home to depart since the program began, citing figures obtained from two DHS officials who track the effort. A DHS spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, described the initiative as "a smooth, efficient process for illegal aliens to return home" and said "tens of thousands" have used the app.

The analysis questioned the administration's broader claims about the scale of voluntary departures, noting that DHS has cited figures such as 1.6 million people leaving since January without publishing detailed methodology.

The Atlantic also found that, based on the cost of airfare, cash stipends and a $200 million advertising campaign promoting self-deportation, the program costs roughly $7,500 per person who leaves using the app. DHS has described self-deportation as a less expensive alternative to traditional enforcement and has also floated similar incentives for certain teenagers, including a $2,500 stipend announced in October for voluntary returns.