Key Takeaways
• Trump’s 2025 order offers free flights and $1,000 to undocumented immigrants choosing voluntary departure—no forced removal required.
• CBP Home app simplifies booking government-funded departures; heightened penalties await those who ignore the self-deportation offer.
• Advocates warn of risks, including loss of legal rights and pressure caused by threats of jail, fines, and asset seizures.
President Trump signed a new executive order on May 9, 2025, that introduces a unique self-deportation program for undocumented immigrants in the United States 🇺🇸. This program, never seen before in U.S. history, aims to offer a different approach to immigration enforcement. Instead of detaining or forcefully removing people, it provides financial and travel help to make it easier and less stressful for undocumented immigrants to return to a country of their choice, except for the United States 🇺🇸.
This step marks a big change in how the United States 🇺🇸 handles people without legal immigration status. President Trump and his team say this move will save money for U.S. taxpayers, lower strain on the immigration system, and offer a more respectful way for people to leave. However, immigration advocates and some experts are raising important questions about the true effects of this plan, especially on people who may not understand all the possible outcomes.
Let’s break down the main features, reasons behind the move, and the possible effects on different groups. We will keep the explanations simple and clear, so that anyone interested in U.S. immigration policy can understand what this new self-deportation program really means.
Key Features: How the Self-Deportation Program Works
The heart of the executive order is the “Free Return Home” program. As part of the self-deportation program, people who are in the United States 🇺🇸 without legal permission can get help to voluntarily leave. The government will not only cover their plane tickets but also give them a cash incentive for choosing to go back to another country.
Free Return Home: No-Cost Travel Arrangements
Under the Free Return Home part of the program, undocumented immigrants can request free, government-funded flights out of the United States 🇺🇸. President Trump announced that, “Any illegal alien can simply show up at an airport and receive a free flight out of our country.”
These flights are not limited to certain places; participants can fly to any foreign country, as long as it is not the United States 🇺🇸. The goal is to remove obstacles that keep people from returning home, especially high travel costs.
This is a big shift from past policies, where leaving the country often involved difficult choices and personal costs. Now, with travel arrangements covered by the government, the process is meant to be much easier.
CBP Home: The New App for Departure
A major part of the new plan is the launch of the CBP Home app. This app is a simple phone tool that lets undocumented immigrants book their free flights out of the United States 🇺🇸. CBP Home replaces the older CBP One app, which was stopped by the Trump administration after returning to office in January 2025.
CBP Home was created just for the self-deportation program, with one main goal: help people leave the United States 🇺🇸 quickly and smoothly if they don’t have legal status. The app is made to be easy to use, so anyone interested in the program can sign up with a few taps.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) highlights CBP Home as the main way to participate in the new program. Information about the app and how to access it is available on the official DHS website.
Exit Bonus: Financial Incentives to Encourage Departure
To encourage more people to take part in the self-deportation program, the U.S. government is offering a cash payout, called an “exit bonus.” According to details from the Department of Homeland Security, anyone who signs up through the CBP Home app and goes through with their voluntary departure can get a $1,000 payment.
This bonus comes after DHS Secretary Kristi Noem shared the story of the first participant—a person from Honduras 🇭🇳—who has already used the travel and cash assistance to return home. DHS sees the exit bonus as a smart move to help with the costs of resettling and make the offer more attractive.
Why Is President Trump Launching This Program?
The Trump administration is giving several reasons for rolling out this self-deportation program instead of sticking only with traditional enforcement and removal operations.
Lowering Costs for Taxpayers
One of the main selling points is money. According to DHS and President Trump’s team, the usual process of arresting, detaining, and deporting an undocumented immigrant costs about $17,121 per person. With the new self-deportation program, even after giving the $1,000 bonus, the government expects to cut these costs by 70 percent.
These savings, officials say, could add up to billions of dollars over time. The thinking is straightforward: If more people choose to leave on their own with help from the program, there is much less need to pay for expensive court cases, detention beds, and forced removals.
A “Dignified” Way to Leave
Leaders in the Trump administration also say the program shows respect for people’s dignity. The program, they argue, gives undocumented immigrants a choice, instead of arrest or jail. President Trump described it as a way for people to “take control of their own departure.” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem called it a “dignified way” for people to leave.
Supporters of the approach believe it could ease stress and help some families plan their return instead of facing sudden or traumatic removal. The exit bonus, free flights, and easier process hope to take away some of the fear and pain linked to leaving under force.
Possible Future Immigration Benefits
Another argument from the Trump administration is that people who leave through the self-deportation program might keep some hope of coming back to the United States 🇺🇸 legally one day. By choosing to leave now, officials say, these individuals might avoid certain penalties or bans that apply to forced removal cases.
However, the government has not shared full details on who might benefit in the long term or how these options would work. There are still many details to be sorted out about the legal impact of leaving under the program.
What Happens If You Don’t Join the Program?
The announcement made by President Trump did not just offer benefits for volunteering—it also included strong warnings for those who choose not to take part.
Those who stay in the United States 🇺🇸 without legal status, according to the new policy, will face “severe consequences.” The list of penalties is serious:
- Jail time for those caught without legal status
- Heavy fines that could cost thousands of dollars
- Seizure of property (taking away cars, homes, or other assets)
- Garnishment of wages (taking money directly from paychecks)
- Imprisonment
- Quick and unexpected removal, in a way and place decided only by the government
President Trump made it clear that the United States 🇺🇸 will go after those who remain in the country illegally with stronger enforcement measures. The hope is that these risks, combined with the offer of travel and cash help, will convince more people to choose the voluntary route.
Broader Changes in U.S. Immigration Policy
This self-deportation program is one part of a bigger set of changes the Trump administration has put in place since returning to office in January 2025.
Cutting Off Previous Legal Pathways
One big move was ending the CBP One phone app, which used to help people find legal ways to come to the United States 🇺🇸 or handle their immigration status. That app is no longer active. Instead, all attention is now on the CBP Home app, focused only on departures.
Building Space for Large Detentions
Meanwhile, the government is also making plans for forced removals. They are preparing to use the detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba 🇨🇺, which can hold up to 30,000 migrants at once. This shows that even though voluntary departure is being encouraged, those who don’t comply could face tough conditions.
The large number of spaces at Guantanamo suggests that mass expulsions remain an option if the self-deportation program does not move enough people out of the country on its own.
Concerns Raised by Immigration Advocates
While President Trump and his officials highlight cost-cutting and human dignity, many immigration advocates are pointing to serious worries about the program’s effects.
Possible Loss of Legal Rights
One risk is that people might sign up for the program and leave the United States 🇺🇸 without realizing they are giving up important legal rights. For example, some may have ongoing court cases or applications for asylum, family visas, or other relief they do not want to abandon.
Immigration lawyers note that leaving while a case is open could mean giving up the chance to win legal status in the future. In some cases, departing the United States 🇺🇸 could trigger long bans—sometimes up to ten years—on returning to the country, even with a new visa.
Are the Incentives Truly Fair?
Some organizations question if the exit bonus is really enough to make up for the risks of leaving. They say that for families who have built lives, careers, and communities in the United States 🇺🇸, a $1,000 one-time payment does not come close to matching what they leave behind.
There are also questions about whether some people could be pushed to take the deal out of fear of the severe punishments promised for staying put. This could make the choice less of a free one and more of a pressured decision.
Possible Effects for Different Groups
For Undocumented Immigrants
This program will likely appeal to some people—especially those who have been thinking about leaving or who face no chance of getting legal status in the United States 🇺🇸. For them, free flights and a bit of cash offer a way out that did not exist before.
But for many others, especially those with open legal cases or hopes of staying, the decision is much harder. Without careful advice from a qualified immigration lawyer, taking the offer could close important doors.
For Employers and Schools
Large numbers of voluntary departures could affect U.S. businesses that rely on undocumented labor. Industries like farming, hospitality, and construction could see sudden worker shortages. Schools may see student numbers drop if many immigrant families decide to leave as well.
For Taxpayers
If the program works as planned, taxpayers stand to save billions on immigration enforcement. Traditional detentions and removals are very expensive. By switching to travel subsidies and exit payments, the government projects huge savings.
Analysis from VisaVerge.com suggests close monitoring will be required to ensure these expected savings actually happen and that the program does not lead to unexpected legal costs down the road.
Final Thoughts and Next Steps
The new self-deportation program opened with strong claims of compassion, cost savings, and efficiency. It is the first time the United States 🇺🇸 has tried paying undocumented immigrants to leave while helping cover their travel out of the country.
The main features—the Free Return Home program, the CBP Home app, and the exit bonus—make it simple for people to join. But with tough warnings for those who choose not to, the pressure is high to use the program.
Anyone thinking about joining should carefully consider their own circumstances. It is strongly advised to talk to an immigration lawyer before making a decision. Some may find a better path by waiting for their legal case to finish, especially if they applied for asylum, U-visas, or family-based green cards.
For updates or more information, visit the U.S. Department of Homeland Security website. This official source provides more details on the self-deportation program, how to access the Free Return Home flights, and instructions for using the CBP Home app.
In coming months, the program’s true impact will become clearer. Will it save the money promised? Will it keep legal doorways open for some, as officials suggest? Or could it backfire, making it harder for many to stay together as families or return in the future?
As the United States 🇺🇸 moves forward with this new immigration plan, the nation—and those caught up in these changes—will be watching closely for answers.
Learn Today
Self-deportation program → A government initiative allowing undocumented immigrants to voluntarily leave the U.S. with financial and travel support, avoiding forced removal.
CBP Home app → A newly introduced mobile application designed for undocumented immigrants to book free, government-funded international flights out of the United States.
Exit bonus → A $1,000 cash payment offered to eligible undocumented immigrants who use the program for voluntary departure through the CBP Home app.
Guantanamo Bay facility → A U.S. detention center in Cuba being prepared to house up to 30,000 migrants for potential large-scale removals.
Forced removal → The involuntary deportation of undocumented immigrants from the U.S., typically involving detention, legal proceedings, and significant government expenses.
This Article in a Nutshell
President Trump’s 2025 executive order introduces America’s first self-deportation program, granting undocumented immigrants free flights and $1,000 for voluntary departure. The CBP Home app enables easy exits, aiming for cost savings and dignity, while critics warn about legal pitfalls and severe punishments for those who refuse to leave.
— By VisaVerge.com
Read more:
• Home Support worker scheme under scrutiny as deportation fears grow
• Trump Unveils Executive Order for Self-Deportation Flights
• Judges Warn Trump’s Mass Deportation Endangers U.S. Citizens
• Trump Administration Targets Students With Deportation Database
• Trump Demands 20,000 New DHS Officers for Deportations
