(UNITED STATES) The Department of Homeland Security is promoting a new push for voluntary departures, telling people in the United States 🇺🇸 without legal status that they can leave on a free flight and, if they enroll through the CBP Home app by the end of the year, receive a $3,000 holiday stipend after they return. The pitch is blunt: “$3,000 TO LEAVE NOW.” It also carries a warning, written in similar language: “If you do not self-deport, we will find you, we will arrest you, and you will never be able to return to the United States,” repeated later in the material.
What the CBP Home app offers
DHS says the CBP Home app is a free mobile tool that lets a person report an intent to depart and ask for help arranging travel. The program is described in agency materials as “a safe, orderly, and supportive alternative” to removal because it aims to avoid arrest, detention, and restraints when someone chooses to go.
Key elements of the offer:
– Free airfare arranged through the app.
– Help with tickets and travel documents needed to enter the home country.
– A separate $1,000 exit bonus once departure is confirmed after uploading proof of arrival abroad.
– A limited-time $3,000 holiday stipend for people who self-deport after registering in the app by year’s end (paid once they are back in their home country).
Payments summarized
| Benefit | Timing / Condition |
|---|---|
| Free flight | Arranged through CBP Home when travel is requested |
| $1,000 exit bonus | Paid after departure is confirmed via uploaded proof of arrival |
| $3,000 holiday stipend | Paid after returning home if enrolled through the app by year-end |
DHS materials do not list countries, age limits, or other explicit eligibility screens in the information provided. The offer is framed as a way to make departures faster and less traumatic, and the end-of-year deadline is emphasized to create urgency.
The enforcement message and legal risks
The hard-edged warning attached to the offer reflects a broader enforcement posture: leave voluntarily, or face arrest and a permanent bar. That language has drawn attention because it reads less like a customer-service announcement and more like an ultimatum, even while the program is marketed as “supportive.”
“If you do not self-deport, we will find you, we will arrest you, and you will never be able to return to the United States.”
Important legal considerations:
– A voluntary departure through the CBP Home app still requires giving the government identity, location, and travel plans, which can matter later if enforcement follows.
– Exiting does not equal gaining legal status or erase past unlawful presence.
– People who leave after long stays may still face bars on reentry; the government’s warning that they may “never be able to return” underscores that risk.
– Immigration lawyers frequently advise checking for alternative legal routes (family petitions, asylum claims, etc.) before opting to leave.
User experiences and rollout issues
User reviews on the Apple App Store and Google Play suggest the rollout has been uneven.
Reported problems:
– Several reviewers say they followed steps and returned home but struggled to get the promised money.
– One reviewer: “I used the CBP Home program to self-deport and was told I would receive a $1,000 stipend and a free flight…but I never got a response.”
– Others describe uploading documents and waiting without confirmation.
DHS has not publicly addressed these specific reviews in the source material, leaving open questions about timing, dispute resolution, and what to do if payments don’t arrive.
Practical steps and recommendations
If you are considering the program, keep in mind the following steps and precautions:
- Register in the CBP Home app and request travel arrangements if you decide to depart.
- Keep copies of all travel documentation:
- Tickets and boarding passes
- In-app confirmations or screenshots
- Proof of arrival used to trigger the $1,000 exit bonus
- Document communications with the program and save timestamps or emails.
- Consider legal advice to assess other immigration options before departing.
- Act before the year-end deadline if you want the $3,000 stipend; small scheduling delays may affect eligibility.
Contact for support:
– CBP lists a support email for app inquiries: [email protected].
CBP also directs users to official information about the product through its mobile apps directory, including the CBP Home listing on the agency site at U.S. Customs and Border Protection. That page is often the safest starting point for checking basic program descriptions and updates.
Things to watch out for
- Payments can be delayed for many administrative reasons (data mismatches, bank transfer limits, identity verification across borders).
- Once overseas, it can be harder to resolve disputes if phone numbers change or contact info becomes unavailable.
- The combination of a cash incentive and a threat of enforcement can create pressure to make quick decisions that carry long-term consequences for immigration status and family separation.
Bottom line
The CBP Home app’s offer — free flights plus a $1,000 exit bonus and a $3,000 holiday stipend for year-end registrants — is intended to encourage voluntary departures as an alternative to enforcement. But the program also raises practical and legal concerns: potential payment delays, limited public information on eligibility, and serious implications for future reentry.
People weighing this choice should gather and retain all documentation, consider legal counsel about alternative immigration paths, and use the CBP support email ([email protected]) and the agency’s official app listing for updates and verification. For now, the program sits at the intersection of assistance and enforcement, and individuals must decide whether the immediate cash and travel help outweigh longer-term immigration risks.
DHS has launched an aggressive campaign encouraging undocumented individuals to self-deport using the CBP Home app. In exchange for leaving by year-end, the government offers free flights and up to $4,000 in total incentives. However, the offer is paired with threats of arrest for non-compliance. Early adopters report technical glitches and missing payments, leading to concerns regarding the program’s reliability and long-term legal risks for participants.
