United States provides a $1,000 incentive for migrants who choose to self-deport

The U.S. government is introducing a $1,000 financial incentive for undocumented immigrants willing to voluntarily return to their home countries, as part of its strategy for mass deportations. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that this approach would be less costly than traditional deportation methods. On May 4, 2025, various immigrant rights organizations gathered outside a DHS field office in Nashville, Tennessee, to protest what they believe to be a multi-agency operation aimed at detaining non-citizens overnight. Under this new initiative, the DHS announced that it would also provide travel assistance. Undocumented individuals who notify the government of their intention to return through an app called CBP Home will have their cases deprioritized for detention and deportation processes.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem emphasized, "For those who are here illegally, self-deportation is the safest, most effective, and cost-efficient method to exit the U.S. To facilitate this, DHS is offering financial support for travel along with a stipend for those who utilize the CBP Home App." The DHS claims that the cost of the stipend and airfare for voluntary departures is significantly less than the average expense of $17,000 associated with arresting, detaining, and deporting someone without legal status. Since taking office in January, Trump has committed to deporting millions of individuals; however, his administration's deportation numbers have lagged behind those reported during the Biden administration. So far, Trump's government has deported approximately 152,000 individuals since January 20, compared to 195,000 deportations between February and April of the previous year under Biden. The Trump administration has employed various tactics to encourage voluntary departures, including imposing heavy fines, attempting to revoke legal status, and repatriating individuals to detention facilities in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and El Salvador. In a preview of the stipend initiative in April, Trump indicated that good migrants and asylum seekers would be welcomed back into the U.S. "If they're good, if we want them back in, we're going to work with them to get them back in as quickly as we can," he stated. The DHS announcement noted that individuals opting to leave may help maintain their chances for legal re-entry, though it did not specify any particular pathway or program for this process.
Al Jazeera