The Trump Administration Offers Illegal Migrants $1000 to Self Deport

The Trump administration has launched a controversial new initiative offering $1,000 to undocumented immigrants who voluntarily agree to leave the United States. The plan, announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday, aims to encourage “self-deportation” by providing financial and travel support through a mobile app now named CBP Home.

CBP Home is a rebranded version of the CBPOne app, initially created under the Biden administration to manage limited asylum requests at the southern border. Under Trump, the app has been repurposed as a tool for exiting the U.S., rather than entering it.

DHS stated that the $1,000 will be disbursed only after participants have returned to their home countries and this departure has been confirmed via the app. The department emphasized language aligned with the administration’s tough immigration stance, using terms like “illegal alien” and “self-deport.”

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the policy, calling self-deportation “the safest and most cost-effective” solution for undocumented immigrants to avoid arrest.

So far, one person has used the program, flying from Chicago to Honduras, with additional departures reportedly scheduled. DHS claims the initiative could reduce deportation costs by up to 70%, noting that the average cost of removing someone is currently over $17,000.

Participants who signal their intent to leave via the app will be deprioritized for detention if they demonstrate active progress toward departure. DHS also suggested that joining the program may improve an individual’s chances of reentering the U.S. legally in the future.

Former President Trump echoed that message, stating from the Oval Office that those who comply may eventually return “if they’re good people.”

However, critics warn that the policy could be misleading and harmful. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council called it a “trap,” arguing that leaving the U.S. might worsen individuals’ legal standing rather than preserve future entry rights.

This self-deportation campaign marks the administration’s latest move in its broader crackdown on immigration, a hallmark of Trump-era policy.