US President Donald Trump‘s administration has introduced a new stipend offering a $2,600 stipend to illegal immigrants in the United States who choose to leave the country voluntarily, calling it the “best New Year’s resolution that an illegal alien can accomplish.”
The announcement was made by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on January 21, as Trump marked the first year of his second term in the White House, which began on January 20, 2025.
How can illegal immigrants self deport?
Under the program, eligible illegal immigrants can sign up to “self-deport” using the CBP Home app, an application through which departures are coordinated.
Those who complete the process are promised a free flight home plus the $2,600 stipend. The DHS said more than 2 million undocumented immigrants have already opted to self-deport.
‘This is a generous exit bonus’
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem emphasised the incentives in her statement, describing the stipend as a “generous exit bonus” funded by US taxpayers to encourage people in the country illegally to leave voluntarily. She added that those who do not take advantage of the offer risk being found, arrested, and prevented from returning to the United States.
According to the DHS, the self-deportation option is intended to both boost voluntary departures and reduce enforcement costs. The department provided basic calculations showing that a single enforced deportation costs approximately $18,245, while the cost of a self-deportation, including the $2,600 stipend and travel, would total about $5,100.
DHS claimed this approach would save more than $13,000 per immigrant compared with traditional deportation procedures.
The announcement also noted that individuals who use the CBP Home app may be eligible for forgiveness of civil fines or penalties tied to overstaying or remaining in the country without documentation. DHS reiterated that the stipend offer may not last long, suggesting it is a limited-time incentive.
The department described the self-deportation process as quick and easy: potential participants need only download the app, provide basic personal information, and DHS will arrange travel and payment.