The Trump administration is offering financial incentives to encourage individuals in the U.S. illegally to voluntarily leave the country.
The Department of Homeland Security announced that individuals who use the CBP Home app to self-deport can receive a $1,000 stipend. The agency said the money will be paid after the person returns to their home country and is confirmed through the app.
"Even with the cost of the stipend, it is projected that the use of CBP Home will decrease the costs of a deportation by around 70 percent," the Department of Homeland Security said in a press release Monday. "Currently the average cost to arrest, detain, and remove an illegal alien is $17,121."
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The move is the latest part of President Donald Trump’s effort to crack down on illegal immigration. President Joe Biden launched the CBP One app in 2023 to help migrants schedule appointments and apply for work authorization in the U.S. The Trump administration has since repurposed the system, urging those individuals to leave the country and accusing the Biden administration of abusing the process.
“This is the safest option for our law enforcement, aliens and is a 70% savings for US taxpayers. Download the CBP Home App TODAY and self-deport,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
According to the government, individuals who show intent to voluntarily self-deport will be "deprioritized for detention and removal." Officials also say self-deportation may preserve the possibility of returning to the U.S. legally in the future.
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