The Trump administration announced Monday it will offer $1,000 to illegal immigrants who voluntarily leave the United States using a new government mobile app.
The initiative, unveiled by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is being pitched as a cost-saving measure designed to encourage voluntary compliance with immigration laws while avoiding the expenses and logistical challenges of forced deportations.
“The cost to arrest, detain, and deport an illegal alien exceeds $17,000,” a DHS spokesperson said in a press release. “This program provides an orderly, dignified, and more economical alternative for both the government and the individuals involved.”
Under the new policy, illegal immigrants can use the "CBP Home" mobile app—an overhaul of the Biden-era "CBP One" app—to declare their intent to self-deport. After entering their information and confirming travel arrangements, they can receive assistance from the government in securing documents and booking travel. Once their departure is confirmed, participants will be eligible to receive a $1,000 payment.
The app’s functionality includes options to wrap up personal affairs, including work, school, and housing, before leaving the country—offering a grace period of up to three weeks. The program also assures users that once they enter the self-deportation process, they will be deprioritized for enforcement by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as long as they demonstrate “meaningful progress” toward leaving.
The policy comes at a time of escalating immigration rhetoric from the Trump administration. President Trump has vowed to carry out the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history, creating a heightened climate of anxiety for illegal immigrants.
“This program isn’t about fear,” the DHS press release stated. “It’s about flexibility. Self-deportation is a dignified way to leave the U.S. without the trauma of arrest or forced removal.”
Critics are expected to question the efficacy and ethics of offering cash incentives for self-deportation. Immigration advocates argue it may coerce vulnerable individuals into leaving under the threat of looming enforcement crackdowns, especially given the administration’s hardline stance.
Still, Trump officials argue that the program strikes a balance between enforcement and humanitarian concerns. “It’s a win-win,” one senior DHS official said. “We reduce enforcement costs, and individuals avoid detention and separation from families.”
In the first 100 days of Trump’s second term, the administration claims to have deported more than 135,000 individuals, marking a sharp escalation from previous years.
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