 "US President Donald Trump. File image")
In a dramatic year-end move, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that undocumented immigrants who agree to leave the country voluntarily can receive $3,000 and a free flight home, if they register through the government’s CBP Home app by the end of this year.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem framed the offer as a limited-time holiday opportunity, asking those living in the United States without legal status to take up the incentive and depart on their own terms.
‘Best gift’ to give yourself
DHS described the boosted incentive with striking language, saying: “Self-deportation through the CBP Home app is the best gift that an illegal alien can give themselves and their families this holiday season.”
The department said it will also pay for travel arrangements home and forgive certain civil fines or penalties tied to overstaying if migrants use the self-deportation app correctly.
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View AllIn promotional materials, the government made clear its hard line: “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.”
How it works
To qualify, migrants must download the CBP Home app, fill in their details, and register their intent to self-deport. Once DHS confirms that the individual has left the US, the $3,000 stipend and free flight are made available.
The CBP Home app is a rebranded version of the earlier CBP One platform, which previously helped migrants schedule asylum interviews but has now been repurposed to facilitate voluntary departures.
What’s the broader context here?
The policy is part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement strategy , which aims to reduce illegal stays and cut the cost of traditional deportations, which government figures estimate can run much higher per person than voluntary exit incentives.
Officials say that since January 2025, roughly 1.9 million undocumented migrants have self-deported, with tens of thousands using the self-deportation program, though independent verification of those figures is limited.