The United States government has increased the financial incentive for undocumented migrants willing to leave the country voluntarily, raising the payment from $1,000 to $3,000 under its self-deportation programme.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that migrants who register with the government and exit the country before December 31, 2025, will qualify for the payment.
Under the policy, eligible migrants will also receive free airfare to their home countries and may have certain civil fines or penalties linked to unlawful presence waived, provided they complete the process through the CBP Home mobile application.
The CBP Home app, previously used during the Biden administration for asylum appointments under the CBP One platform, has been redesigned under President Donald Trump’s administration to support voluntary departures.
According to DHS, migrants are required to signal their intention to leave through the app. Once their eligibility is confirmed and their exit is verified, the $3,000 stipend will be paid.
Speaking to CBS News, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem warned undocumented migrants who refuse the offer that tougher action awaits them.
“They will be found, arrested and never return to the United States,” she said.
DHS explained that the increased payment is part of a holiday-season effort to speed up removals while cutting costs. The agency said voluntary departures are significantly cheaper than forced removals.
“As of May 2025, it costs an average of about $17,000 to arrest, detain and remove an undocumented migrant,” DHS said.
The department added that migrants enrolled in the self-deportation programme would be deprioritised for arrest and detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as long as they make what officials described as “meaningful strides” toward leaving the country.
However, DHS did not specify how long such protection would last or how compliance would be assessed.
The move is part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown, which also targets families and unaccompanied minors who entered the U.S. without authorisation.
In October, the government announced a similar plan offering migrant teenagers $2,500 to voluntarily return to their home countries.
DHS claimed that about 1.9 million undocumented migrants have voluntarily left the U.S. since January 2025, with tens of thousands using the CBP Home app. The figures have not been independently verified, and the agency has yet to release detailed data on how many migrants received travel support or stipends.
The policy has continued to attract debate as immigration enforcement remains a central issue in U.S. domestic politics.
