The Donald Trump administration announced that it has tripled the stipend it offers to undocumented migrants who agree to voluntarily deport themselves from the United States to $3,000, as part of its new immigration strategy heading into the end of the year.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Monday that financial assistance will be available to individuals who are in the United States illegally and sign a commitment to leave the country before the end of the year, with the aim of reducing costs and expediting deportations.
What does Trump’s self-deportation program consist of?
According to DHS, the offer not only includes a $3,000 payment but also a free flight back to the migrant’s country of origin. Authorities indicated that the incentive aims to decongest the immigration system and reduce public spending associated with arrests, detentions, and forced deportation proceedings.
«Illegal aliens should take advantage of this gift and self-deport, because if they don’t, we will find them, arrest them, and they will never return», warned Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in an official statement.
CBP Home: the app for self-deportation
As part of the plan, the Trump Administration relaunched the CBP Home app in March, a digital platform designed to facilitate voluntary self-deportation. This app replaced CBP One, a tool created during the Joe Biden administration that allowed migrants to apply for legal entry into the United States.
The shift in focus reflects the hardening of immigration policy, moving from regulated entry mechanisms to tools aimed at voluntary departure from the country.
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The high cost of deporting migrants without legal status
The DHS revealed that arresting, detaining, and deporting an undocumented migrant costs an average of 7,000, a figure significantly higher than the stipend offered for self-deportation.
This data has been used by the Trump Administration to justify the program, arguing that it is a more cost-effective and faster alternative to traditional deportation processes.
Trump intensifies immigration policy ahead of 2026
Since Donald Trump took office in January, he has promised record levels of deportations, with the goal of expelling one million immigrants per year. However, to date, his administration has deported approximately 622,000 people this year, according to official figures.
Despite criticism and protests from civil organizations and human rights advocates, the White House has reiterated that it will further tighten immigration measures.
More agents, detention centers, and immigration resources
U.S. officials confirmed that the government is preparing for a more aggressive immigration crackdown in 2026, backed by billions of dollars in new funding.
Among the planned actions are:
- Hiring thousands of new immigration agents.
- Opening of new detention centers.
- Alliances with private companies to locate people without legal status.
- Greater use of technology and databases for immigration operations.
These measures seek to reinforce border control and expedite deportations, in line with Trump’s campaign rhetoric.
