US offers $3,000 and free flight to undocumented migrants who self-deport by year-end: Here’s how to register

Trump administration triples self-deportation bonus to $3,000 for migrants leaving by December 31

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has increased its financial incentive for undocumented immigrants who voluntarily leave the United States through the CBP Home app, raising the stipend from $1,000 to $3,000. Participants will also receive a free plane ticket to their home country if they register by December 31.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the program as a limited-time holiday opportunity, warning that those who do not self-deport will face arrest, deportation, and permanent barring from re-entry.

How the self-deportation program works

DHS described self-deportation as a “fast, free, and easy process.” Interested individuals need only:

• Download the CBP Home app.
• Submit their personal information.
• Allow the department to arrange and cover travel costs.
• The program also offers forgiveness of civil fines or penalties for overstaying or failing to depart previously.

“The US taxpayer is so generously tripling the incentive to leave voluntarily,” Noem said. “Illegal aliens should take advantage of this gift and self-deport because if they don’t, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return.”

Financial and operational benefits

According to DHS, the program could cut deportation costs by nearly 70 percent. As of May 2025, the average cost to arrest, detain, and remove an undocumented immigrant was $17,121.

Since January 2025, approximately 1.9 million undocumented immigrants have voluntarily left the US, with tens of thousands using the CBP Home program. Participants who successfully return to their home country receive the stipend only after confirmation of their departure.

Why is the incentive increasing? 

The increase comes amid a broader immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump, who has made stricter enforcement and mass deportations a key priority of his second term. The DHS aims to encourage self-deportation as a cost-effective, voluntary alternative to traditional enforcement methods.

“Since January 2025, 1.9 million illegal aliens have voluntarily self-deported, and tens of thousands have used the CBP Home program,” Noem said. “During the Christmas Season, the US taxpayer is so generously tripling the incentive to leave voluntarily for those in this country illegally, offering a $3,000 exit bonus, but just until the end of the year.”

DHS warning for non-participants

DHS has made it clear that individuals who choose not to self-deport will face strict enforcement: arrest, removal from the US, and permanent bans on returning.

“No one is exempt,” the DHS press release stated. “Illegal aliens who sign up to self-deport through the CBP Home app by the end of the year will receive a $3,000 stipend in addition to a free flight home. Using the CBP Home app also qualifies recipients for forgiveness of any civil fines or penalties for failing to depart the country.”

CBP Home App: The key tool

Launched in March 2025, the CBP Home app replaced the CBP One system. The app allows undocumented immigrants to voluntarily report their departure and arrange travel in a streamlined, user-friendly manner. DHS promotes the process as a “dignified way to leave the US,” avoiding encounters with ICE agents.

“This is the best gift undocumented migrants can give themselves and their families during the holiday season,” the DHS press release said.