Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced January 21 that illegal immigrants who use the CBP Home app to self-deport will receive $2,600 plus free airfare home, up from the $1,000 stipend the program launched with in May 2025. The increase marks the one-year anniversary of President Trump’s second term and follows a temporary $3,000 holiday offer that expired December 31.
“To celebrate one year of this administration, the U.S. taxpayer is generously increasing the incentive to leave voluntarily for those in this country illegally—offering a $2,600 exit bonus,” 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.”
DHS says 2.2 million people have voluntarily self-deported since January 2025, with tens of thousands using the CBP Home app specifically. The administration reports 675,000 total deportations in its first year. Nearly 100,000 people have downloaded and used the app.
The program, funded by $250 million transferred from State Department refugee resettlement accounts, aims to reduce deportation costs. DHS calculates enforced deportation at $18,245 per person. Self-deportation through the app costs $5,100 including the stipend and travel arrangements, saving taxpayers over $13,000 per person who uses it.
Eligible participants include non-criminal undocumented immigrants who encountered Customs and Border Protection at ports of entry or between them, plus people with categorical parole. Being in immigration proceedings doesn’t disqualify applicants. Those with criminal records or already detained by ICE don’t qualify for the stipend.
The process requires downloading the CBP Home mobile app and submitting personal information including country of origin, destination, contact details, and a facial photograph. DHS contacts approved applicants within 21 days to arrange one-way flights. The stipend is paid after the government confirms departure through the app’s location tracking feature.
Additional benefits include forgiveness of civil fines for failing to depart previously and de-prioritization for ICE enforcement actions while participants demonstrate meaningful progress toward departure. DHS says leaving voluntarily may preserve options to return legally in the future, though specific immigration consequences depend on individual circumstances.
The app redesign simplified the process. Users answer a brief questionnaire taking minutes to complete, with streamlined data collection requiring only essential information. The system no longer requires A-Numbers or certain personal identifiers that complicated earlier versions.
DHS warns the increased offer may not last long and encourages immediate participation. “Self-deportation through the CBP Home app is the best New Year’s resolution that an illegal alien can accomplish,” the agency’s announcement stated. “It’s a fast, free, and easy process: Just download the app, fill out your information, and DHS will take care of the rest—including arranging and paying for your travel back home.”
Those who don’t participate face traditional enforcement. With over 675,000 deportations during President Trump’s first year in office, DHS says it’s only a matter of time before people in the country illegally are found, arrested, and removed without the option to return.
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