International Organization for Migration Offers U.S. Migrants Ticket Home

Key Takeaways

• Migrants using Assisted Voluntary Return get paid travel and a $1,000 stipend after arriving home, starting May 2025.
• Over 1,000 migrants have begun the voluntary return process in the United States using digital tools like the CBP Home app.
• Participation is fully voluntary; IOM only assists those who give clear, informed consent to return to their home countries.

The United Nations migration agency, formally known as the International Organization for Migration (IOM), is now reaching more migrants in the United States 🇺🇸 by offering help to those who decide to return to their home countries willingly. This service, called Assisted Voluntary Return, is different from deportation. Migrants make the personal choice to leave the United States 🇺🇸 and go home, often for reasons of safety, future hope, or family. As partnerships with US government agencies become stronger, more people are learning about their options and getting help to return safely and with support.

What is Assisted Voluntary Return?

Assisted Voluntary Return is a special process managed by the International Organization for Migration. The goal is simple: to give migrants the help they need when they decide, on their own, to leave the United States 🇺🇸 and return to their countries of origin. Unlike deportation, which is forced and can involve legal penalties, Assisted Voluntary Return lets migrants leave in a way that is respectful and safe.

Under this program, participation is always voluntary. No one is forced into this choice. Migrants first have to reach out to the International Organization for Migration or use tools provided by the US government, like the CBP Home app. Only after migrants say clearly that they want to return, the IOM steps in to help. There is no pressure or hidden rules—every person must give informed consent before anything starts.

Once a migrant agrees and asks for help, the IOM gets to work. The organization handles the required steps, including booking travel, answering questions, and giving clear information about what comes next. In some cases, the IOM also gives advice or connects people with services that can help them start over after they get back to their home country. For many, this approach makes going home less scary and more manageable.

“At the request of the U.S. government, IOM is providing Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) to people in the U.S. who register to voluntarily return… Our involvement begins only after an individual… gives informed consent…” – Statement by IOM

How the Program Works in the United States 🇺🇸

This partnership is growing. In May 2025, the US government ramped up its work with the International Organization for Migration. New rules and benefits are making Assisted Voluntary Return easier to use and more appealing for migrants who are considering whether to stay or go.

Here’s how the process now works in the United States 🇺🇸:

1. Decision to Return: The migrant decides they want to leave the United States 🇺🇸 on their own. This is a highly personal choice and does not involve pressure from immigration officers or government officials.

2. Contact with Authorities: The migrant can start their application by registering with the International Organization for Migration or using official digital tools like the CBP Home app.

3. Giving Consent: Before any arrangements happen, the person must give informed consent, meaning they are fully aware of their decision and its consequences.

4. Travel Arrangements: The IOM partners with US government agencies to organize travel. This often means booking a plane ticket for the migrant.

5. Financial Support: There is now a $1,000 stipend available to those who complete their journey and arrive home, sent after the return is confirmed through the CBP Home app system. This money can help returning migrants with basic needs during their first few days home.

6. Lower Risk of Detention: People who show real steps toward leaving are less likely to be put in immigration detention before departure. Immigration agents focus less on them than on others.

Fast Facts and Recent Numbers

• As of May 2025, over 1,000 migrants in the United States 🇺🇸 have started the Assisted Voluntary Return steps using tools like the CBP Home app.
• Migrants who use this pathway can get both paid travel and a one-time stipend, creating a softer landing on arrival.
• The program includes only those who take action on their own—the International Organization for Migration is not involved in enforcement or removals.

Why Migrants Choose Voluntary Return

Many people want to know why someone would decide to leave the United States 🇺🇸 after coming so far. The reasons are personal and different for everyone. Some of the most common reasons include:

• Avoiding Arrest or Detention: Migrants might worry about being picked up by immigration authorities. Joining a voluntary program means they have more control and less fear.

• Financial Help: The IOM’s program pays for travel and offers some extra money after arrival. This is important for people who may not have enough to pay for a ticket home or start over.

• Hope for Future Entry: In some cases, leaving voluntarily instead of being deported can make it easier to try to re-enter the United States 🇺🇸 legally in the future. Deportation often comes with bans or extra hurdles.

• Family and Health Reasons: Some migrants need to go home to look after sick relatives, children, or to get help for health issues.

• Lack of Support in the US: If jobs or housing prove hard to find, returning home can be safer or less stressful.

Analysis from VisaVerge.com suggests that giving clear, safe pathways for leaving can protect migrants and keep families together. It also shows cooperation between countries, which is important for managing migration in an orderly way.

How Assisted Voluntary Return Works Step by Step

To understand this program better, let’s look at each part closely:

1. Who Runs It?

The International Organization for Migration leads the Assisted Voluntary Return efforts, with help from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the United States 🇺🇸. The IOM is a United Nations agency with long experience supporting migrants who want or need to go home. You can learn more about their work by visiting the International Organization for Migration’s website.

2. Who Qualifies?

Not every migrant in the United States 🇺🇸 can join right away. The program is mainly meant for people who are currently in the country without proper legal status, sometimes called undocumented or illegal aliens. These are people who may be at risk of being forced to leave if they are caught, but who now want to take the step by choice.

3. How Do People Apply?

The application system is user-friendly. Migrants can reach out directly to the International Organization for Migration or register online through government channels like the CBP Home app. This makes it easy for those anywhere in the United States 🇺🇸 to start the process.

4. What Does the Program Include?

Returning with IOM’s help is not just about a ticket home. Migrants receive free travel and, once they’ve arrived, a $1,000 stipend as a small safety net. In some cases, IOM or its local partners in the person’s home country may provide extra help, such as connecting them to job services, finding a place to live, or giving simple counseling.

5. What Other Benefits Are There?

By choosing voluntary return, migrants lower the chance of being detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) before departure. The government gives priority to letting them continue preparing for departure, rather than spending time in detention. Plus, joining voluntarily can sometimes mean people keep more options open for coming back to the United States 🇺🇸 at a later date, compared to those who are deported or removed by force.

The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters

Assisted Voluntary Return goes beyond simply getting people from one place to another. It’s about dignity. The IOM and its partners believe that every migrant should have the right to choose and not be forced to live in fear. Programs like these are common around the world. Countries and groups use them to encourage safe, humane, and respectful migration practices.

From the viewpoint of governments, these programs help manage migration in ways that reduce conflict, legal battles, and overcrowding in detention centers. For migrants, it means making important life choices with help, not shame or fear.

Another major point is reintegration. While not every home country has the same level of support, the IOM tries to assist as much as possible, offering advice about work, housing, and family reunion when people return.

Pros and Cons for Migrants

No program is perfect, and not every migrant will feel happy about going home. Some may see this as a defeat, especially if they left poor or unsafe situations behind. Others, however, find comfort knowing that they are choosing what’s best for them and getting support at the same time.

Potential Benefits:

• Personal choice and less stress: Migrants decide for themselves.
• Free travel and a start-up stipend: Lightens the money burden of going home.
• Less risk of ICE detention: Safer, with more control.
• Possible future entry: Avoids penalties linked to forced removal.
• Support worldwide: Access to IOM resources, sometimes even after arrival.

Possible Downsides:

• Returning to hardship: Some come from countries with violence, unemployment, or limited healthcare.
• Little or no local support: Not every home country has the resources to help returnees.
• Emotional impact: Leaving a dream behind or separating from community.

How the Program Shapes Migration Policy

The United States 🇺🇸 faces a big challenge in managing its borders. Assisted Voluntary Return is one way to provide a humane solution that doesn’t rely only on detention or deportation. This program also shows growing international cooperation, which is important in a world where people are moving in search of safety and better opportunities.

US authorities have incentives to support such options. Programs like these can result in smoother migration controls, fewer confrontations, and better long-term relationships between countries. The partnership with the International Organization for Migration blends the resources and skills of both sides.

For countries receiving returnees, welcoming people back with a little support can help them start over, reducing the chance that they will try difficult or risky journeys again.

Summary Table: Key Features of AVR Assistance in the US

Global Context: Similar Programs Everywhere

Assisted Voluntary Return is not only an American idea. The International Organization for Migration runs similar projects in many countries. The main goal is always the same: help people leave in a way that respects their wishes and keeps families together. In each place, local rules and support may be a little different, but the big picture stays the same.

By working with organizations like the IOM, countries can create more humane migration systems that consider both the needs of people on the move and the needs of governments managing who comes and goes.

Final Thoughts

Assisted Voluntary Return gives migrants in the United States 🇺🇸 an important choice, offering support without punishment. It helps those who feel ready to go home do so with dignity, support, and fewer barriers. The International Organization for Migration’s work in the United States 🇺🇸 is part of a growing movement to make migration safer for everyone. For readers interested in more details or needing help, you can visit the official IOM United States page for more information.

This approach to voluntary return highlights the importance of partnership, respect for migrants’ decisions, and a steady effort to make migration policies fit real life. As more migrants choose this path, both individuals and countries benefit from the care and planning that programs like these provide.

Learn Today

International Organization for Migration (IOM) → United Nations agency that supports migrants worldwide, including programs for safe, voluntary return to home countries.
Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) → A program helping migrants choose to return home from host countries with logistical, financial, and reintegration support.
CBP Home app → Official U.S. digital platform migrants use to register and confirm participation in voluntary return programs.
Informed consent → The requirement that migrants fully understand and agree to voluntary return before any assistance starts.
Stipend → A one-time financial payment ($1,000) provided to returning migrants after arrival in their home country through AVR.

This Article in a Nutshell

Assisted Voluntary Return, run by the International Organization for Migration in the United States, lets migrants return home safely and voluntarily. Participants receive free airfare, a $1,000 stipend, and lower risk of detention. This program prioritizes dignity, personal choice, and humane migration, setting a model for global cooperation.
— By VisaVerge.com

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