Homeland Security says higher payment and free travel are meant to accelerate voluntary departures as enforcement intensifies.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Department of Homeland Security announced Wednesday that it is increasing the payment offered to illegal immigrants who voluntarily leave the United States from $1,000 to $2,600, part of an effort to accelerate self-deportations during President Donald Trump’s second term.
Under the updated program, individuals who choose to depart through the CBP Home app are eligible for a $2,600 stipend, described by DHS as an “exit bonus,” along with a government-paid flight to their country of origin. The agency said the offer is being rolled out nationwide and is available for a limited time.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said roughly 2.2 million illegal immigrants have voluntarily left the country during Trump’s second term so far, with tens of thousands using the CBP Home app to arrange their departure.
“Illegal aliens should take advantage of this gift and self-deport,” Noem said in a statement, warning that those who do not will be arrested, deported, and barred from returning to the United States.
The increased payment marks an expansion of a program announced last year, when DHS began offering $1,000 to individuals who agreed to leave the country voluntarily. At the time, the department said self-deportation reduced the likelihood of forcible removal by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and lowered overall enforcement costs.
According to DHS, the CBP Home app allows users to submit basic personal information, after which the department arranges and pays for their travel. Officials said participants may also qualify for forgiveness of certain civil penalties or fines related to overstaying in the United States.
The department said the higher stipend was introduced to coincide with the first anniversary of Trump’s return to office and emphasized that the incentive “may not last long.”
The announcement follows a recent analysis by the Brookings Institution estimating that net migration into the United States turned negative in 2025 for the first time in at least 50 years. The report cited a sharp decline in new entries and increased enforcement activity resulting in both removals and voluntary departures.
DHS said about 675,000 illegal immigrants were deported in 2025, while Brookings estimated a lower figure of roughly 310,000 to 315,000 removals.
The self-deportation announcement came as DHS separately confirmed it is launching a new ICE enforcement operation in Maine targeting illegal immigrants with criminal records. Similar operations are already underway in the Minneapolis area, where they have prompted protests and legal challenges from local Democratic officials.
DHS officials said the expanded incentive program and stepped-up enforcement are designed to work in tandem, encouraging voluntary departures while reserving arrests for those who refuse to comply.
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