In a bid to advance its deportation initiatives, the administration under President Donald Trump has introduced an incentive scheme whereby immigrants in the United States illegally will receive a $1,000 payment if they voluntarily choose to return to their home countries. Announced on Monday by the Department of Homeland Security, this initiative also includes covering travel expenses for those who opt to leave on their own accord. Immigrants using a mobile application known as CBP Home to indicate their decision to return will be given lower priority for detention and removal by immigration officers.
Secretary Kristi Noem emphasized in a statement that self-deportation is the safest and most cost-effective means for illegal immigrants to evade arrest. “We are now providing financial assistance for travel paired with a stipend through the CBP Home App for anyone willing to self-deport,” she explained. The department has already facilitated the return of a migrant to Honduras from Chicago and has arranged more flights for the coming days.
Throughout his campaign and tenure, Trump has prioritized tackling illegal immigration and promoting the deportation of undocumented immigrants in the United States. Despite these efforts being financially and logistically demanding, the administration has been putting pressure on illegal residents to opt for self-deportation. As part of these efforts, the government has launched media campaigns to highlight enforcement actions and arrests, depicting the consequences of illegal stay, with the aim of deterrence.
From President Trump’s point of view, self-deportation serves as a strategy to maintain future reentry possibilities for immigrants legally. Discussing the topic with reporters, the President suggested that immigrants who voluntarily exit the U.S. might be granted an opportunity for legal reentry, assuming they demonstrate good character and patriotism.
However, this offer comes with its complexities and potential drawbacks. Aaron Reichlen-Melnick, a senior fellow with the American Immigration Council, advises caution. He points out that leaving while in the middle of immigration proceedings can lead to a loss of potential relief options, such as asylum claims. Additionally, it could complicate matters if migrants do not appear for court dates, potentially resulting in automatic deportation orders. Reichlen-Melnick notes that Homeland Security lacks transparent coordination with immigration courts to safeguard the rights of those choosing self-deportation.
Critics, like Reichlen-Melnick, express skepticism regarding the funding and legal authority behind these financial incentives, suggesting they emerge from an inability to meet deportation targets through enforcement alone. Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies, although supportive of the initiative, raises questions about monitoring compliance and ensuring that returnees do not reenter without consequences.
The self-deportation app CBP Home, previously known under Biden’s administration as CBP One, was originally developed to facilitate legal entry appointments. Now repurposed, it aids migrants in arranging travel back to their countries, as DHS reports that “thousands” have already used the app to leave the U.S.
Pay-to-go incentives are not unique to the Trump administration. Many countries have experimented with similar approaches, recognizing the financial advantage of aiding voluntary departures over the expensive processes of detention and removal enforced by courts. These programs, however, historically have had mixed results, and it remains uncertain if the financial incentives successfully deter further emigration attempts.