(UNITED STATES) The Department of Homeland Security is offering undocumented migrants a temporary $3,000 “exit bonus” if they agree to self-deport from the United States 🇺🇸 by December 31, 2025, using the rebranded CBP Home (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) app, a move the agency says will cut enforcement costs and push more people to leave on their own.
Program overview and incentives
DHS says the program triples the prior incentive from $1,000 to $3,000 and includes free airfare to home countries, plus the possibility of waivers of certain civil fines or penalties once departure is confirmed. In practice, a migrant:
- signals intent to leave through the app,
- makes travel arrangements through the government-supported process, and
- receives the stipend after the U.S. government confirms the person has departed.
The department emphasizes the stipend is not an upfront payment and is tied to proof of departure, a design meant to reduce fraud and ensure payment only after the person is out of the country.
Administration messaging and enforcement warning
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the offer as limited in time and paired it with a hard warning for those who stay.
“If you do not self-deport, we will find you, arrest you, and you will never return,” she said, according to the provided material.
DHS says the bonus is paid only after the U.S. government confirms the person has departed.
Cost comparison and DHS rationale
DHS is selling the plan as a cheaper alternative to arrest-and-remove operations. The department cites an Immigration and Customs Enforcement estimate from May 2025 that traditional arrest, detention, and removal costs average $17,000 per person.
A simple cost comparison the department is promoting:
| Item | Cost (per person) |
|---|---|
| Exit bonus + airfare (DHS offer) | $3,000 + airfare |
| Arrest, detention, and removal (ICE estimate) | $17,000 |
DHS argues paying people to depart voluntarily costs less than tracking, detaining, and flying them out under guard—especially with limited detention space and crowded court dockets. The government also avoids detention-related medical costs and reduces operational pressure on officers.
The CBP Home app and how it works
The central tool is the CBP Home app, described as modeled on the Biden-era CBP One app but repurposed under President Trump’s immigration policies. Under the current approach, migrants use the app to declare they plan to leave, rather than to seek entry appointments.
Key operational features and requirements cited:
- The stipend is paid after departure is verified (not in advance).
- The app is used to signal intent and to coordinate government-supported travel.
- The program relies on users having access to a smartphone, stable internet, and the ability to complete the steps correctly.
DHS has not released a public rule or detailed guidance document that spells out every eligibility condition, the airfare process, or how long verification takes. Migrants considering departure should look for official instructions directly from the government, including CBP’s page describing the app and its functions: CBP Home (U.S. Customs and Border Protection).
Uptake, marketing, and seasonal push
Internal DHS data cited in the material says tens of thousands have used the app for self-deportation since its launch earlier in 2025. The effort has been supported by heavy advertising spending and a seasonal, holiday-themed push that includes nostalgic Christmas music and images of travelers boarding planes.
DHS has promoted this branding as a “dignified” option timed for the season.
Human impacts and criticisms
This branding and the cash offer are likely to draw sharp reactions because they land on a painful reality many undocumented families face: whether to stay put and risk arrest, or to leave and accept separation, lost wages, and the chance they may not be able to come back.
Important non-financial costs for migrants include:
- pulling children out of school mid-year,
- losing rent deposits and jobs,
- returning to countries with few supports, and
- the risk that future reentry or visa options might be affected.
Critics of similar approaches have argued that “voluntary” departure can be influenced by pressure and fear, particularly when coupled with a threat of permanent exclusion. The provided material does not include reactions from immigration lawyers, migrant advocates, or independent policy researchers, and DHS did not identify any migrants who have used the program in the materials cited.
Legal and practical uncertainties
The material says the program may include waivers of certain civil fines or penalties upon confirmed departure, but it does not:
- list which fines qualify,
- explain how waiver decisions are made, or
- provide a full eligibility checklist.
DHS also reportedly paused immigration cases for people from 20 additional countries, per a separate CBS News confirmation cited in the material, but the department did not list those countries or spell out which case types are paused. That absence leaves many families with unanswered questions about deadlines, hearings, and work authorization.
Digital divide and access issues
DHS’s reliance on the app highlights a shift toward smartphone-based compliance. This raises access concerns:
- People must have a compatible device and internet access.
- Those with limited English or low digital literacy may struggle to complete high-stakes steps.
- Mistakes in the process can be costly, even when the stated goal is orderly departure.
What analysts say and what remains unclear
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, programs that pay people to leave tend to be more effective when the government provides:
- clear, consistent proof-of-departure steps, and
- advance confirmation of how fines, bars, or future visa options will be affected.
The DHS materials described here leave major practical details unclear even as the department uses firm language and a deadline to press people toward leaving by December 31, 2025.
Bottom line and government strategy
For now, the administration is betting that:
- a larger cash offer ($3,000),
- free flights, and
- a holiday marketing blitz
will increase the number of people who self-deport through the CBP Home app before December 31, 2025. Simultaneously, the threat of arrest for those who refuse is intended to make the message resonate in immigrant communities well before the deadline.
The DHS is offering undocumented migrants a $3,000 stipend and free airfare to self-deport by the end of 2025 using the CBP Home app. This initiative aims to lower the high costs associated with traditional arrests and removals. While the administration promotes it as a dignified, cost-effective option, the plan includes stern warnings of arrest for those who refuse to participate.
