The US Department of Homeland Security has tripled the financial incentive to $3,000 for undocumented migrants who self-deport by the end of December, in addition to covering return flight costs. This step aims to promote voluntary exits amid the Trump administration's mass deportation policies. Secretary Kristi Noem warned that those awaiting forced deportation may forfeit chances of future legal reentry.
With just over a week left until the end of the year, the Donald Trump administration is pushing to speed up undocumented migrants' departures. On Monday, December 22, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it will offer $3,000 to those who self-deport voluntarily by December's end, tripling the $1,000 incentive provided since May. The government will also cover the return flight cost.
The program operates via the CBP Home app, launched in March 2025 by the Trump administration. This app was repurposed from a tool used under Joe Biden's government to help asylum seekers schedule border appointments. According to Secretary Kristi Noem, the 'exit bonus' applies to non-detained individuals or those detained without criminal charges. In a Fox interview, Noem stated: “Raise your hand, we'll help you go home. We'll make it easy, and you might have a chance to return to this country legally someday. If you wait for us to detain you and deport you ourselves, you'll never have that chance.”
The DHS also waives certain civil fines for illegal stay for app users. Noem claimed 1.9 million undocumented individuals have self-deported since January 2025, with “tens of thousands” using CBP Home, though no detailed figures have been released on incentive payments or flights.
Immigration lawyers denounce the promise of possible future legal return as a “trap,” since migrants with over 365 days in the US face a 10-year reentry ban under current law, and the app offers no return facilitation. Some migrants report weeks or months of detention delays after signing self-deportation, or failure to receive promised funds.
Trump vowed to deport one million people in his first year, ending January 20, 2026. So far, about 605,000 have been expelled, with over 65,700 detained as of late November.
