Cash, Tickets, Deadline: US Raises Self-Deportation Incentive To $3,000 For Migrants

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has sharply increased the financial incentive for undocumented immigrants who choose to leave the country on their own, raising the payment from $1,000 to $3,000. The revised offer applies to migrants who register for voluntary departure through the CBP One app by December 31, and it comes bundled with a government-funded flight to their home country and forgiveness of civil penalties tied to overstaying visas.

According to DHS, the initiative is designed to streamline removals while reducing the burden on enforcement agencies. In an official statement issued on Monday, the department described the process as “fast, free, and easy,” outlining a system that requires migrants to download the app, submit personal details, and allow federal authorities to coordinate and pay for their travel, as reported by India Today.

A Cost-Cutting Push At Core Of Trump’s Second Term

The expanded payout is a key element of President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown, which has been positioned as a cornerstone policy of his second term in office. DHS estimates that encouraging self-deportation could cut overall deportation expenses by nearly 70 percent.

Government data shows why the savings matter. As of May, the average cost of arresting, detaining, and removing an undocumented immigrant stood at $17,121 per person, reported Yahoo News. Even with the tripled cash incentive, officials argue that voluntary exits remain far cheaper than traditional enforcement-driven removals.

How CBP One App Is Being Repurposed

Migrants who opt into the program through CBP One will have their entire journey organized and funded by DHS. In addition to airfare, participants qualify for waivers on civil fines or penalties related to immigration violations. The $3,000 payment represents a threefold increase from the amount first announced in May.

Notably, the CBP One app was originally rolled out during the Biden administration as a tool for scheduling asylum interviews. Under Trump’s leadership, it has been retooled into a mechanism to facilitate voluntary departures instead.

Holiday Messaging & A Hardline Warning

The announcement is part of a broader year-end push to speed up deportations. In one holiday-themed message on X, DHS warned undocumented migrants that they are “GOING HO HO HOME.”

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has publicly backed the initiative, urging migrants to seize what she described as a “gift,” while cautioning that those who decline will face arrest and a permanent ban on re-entry.

Since January 2025, DHS claims that 1.9 million undocumented migrants have voluntarily left the U.S., with tens of thousands using CBP One. Those figures have not been independently verified, but officials maintain the program offers a quicker, less expensive alternative to mass arrests and removals.