Federal officials say the increased payment, free flights, and penalty waivers are aimed at accelerating removals while reducing enforcement costs.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Department of Homeland Security has increased its voluntary self-deportation incentive to $3,000 for illegal migrants who leave the United States before the end of the year, significantly raising the cash offer as part of the Trump administration’s expanded immigration enforcement strategy.
According to reporting by CBS News, DHS has tripled its previous $1,000 “exit bonus” to $3,000 for illegal migrants who register with the federal government and depart by Dec. 31, 2025, using the government’s rebranded CBP Home mobile application.
In addition to the cash payment, DHS says eligible participants will receive free airfare to their home countries and may have certain civil fines or penalties waived if they leave voluntarily. The stipend is paid only after federal authorities confirm that the individual has exited the United States.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told CBS News that the increased incentive is temporary and warned that migrants who refuse the offer face serious consequences. Those who do not comply, she said, will be “found,” “arrested,” and “never return” to the United States.
The CBP Home app is modeled after the Biden-era CBP One platform, which was originally used to schedule asylum appointments. Under President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown, the technology has been repurposed to facilitate voluntary departures, allowing migrants to formally signal their intent to leave the country.
Migrants who use the app and are approved for the program are provided travel assistance, with the $3,000 payment issued once their departure is confirmed by U.S. authorities.
DHS officials say the program is designed to speed up removals while significantly lowering costs to taxpayers. As of May 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement estimated that the average cost to arrest, detain, and remove an illegal migrant is approximately $17,000, according to figures cited by CBS News. By contrast, DHS says voluntary departures that include airfare and a stipend cost far less.
The administration has emphasized those savings as it promotes the program during the holiday season. The Independent reported that DHS has launched a holiday-themed advertising campaign encouraging migrants to use the app, describing the process as a “dignified” way to leave and pairing the message with a nostalgic Christmas song and images of travelers boarding airplanes.
The outlet also reported that internal DHS data shows tens of thousands of people have already used the app to depart since the self-deportation feature was introduced earlier this year, as the federal government invested heavily in advertising the program.
Administration officials say they are betting that the higher cash incentive, combined with free travel and a reduced likelihood of immediate ICE arrest for those making what DHS calls “meaningful strides” toward departure, will persuade more illegal migrants to leave voluntarily. The goal, officials say, is to reduce reliance on costly detention and removal operations while shifting enforcement resources toward those who remain in the country unlawfully.
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