The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is increasing efforts to encourage unauthorized immigrants to voluntarily self-deport by offering a $1,000 stipend and travel assistance through the CBP Home app. This initiative, announced recently, allows individuals who utilize the app to confirm their departure and receive the stipend after verifying their return to their home country. The move coincides with stagnant deportation rates during President Trump’s initial days in office, despite his campaign promise for mass deportations.
DHS has clarified that self-deporting individuals must provide biographical information and facial images to confirm their departure. According to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, self-deportation is portrayed as a cost-effective alternative to traditional deportations, claiming it could reduce taxpayer expenses by 70%, with each deportation currently costing over $17,000.
Since the start of 2025, the CBP Home app has seen significant use, reportedly downloaded approximately 300,000 times, while around 5,000 individuals have indicated their intent to self-deport via the app this year. The app was originally repurposed from the Biden-era CBP One app, designed for legal asylum entry, and revamped by the Trump administration at a cost of $200 million, including an advertising campaign promoting its use.
Undocumented immigrants who apply through the app may also be deprioritized for detention prior to their departure. However, experts have raised concerns about the implications of this self-deportation campaign, noting that the ability to return legally to the U.S. remains uncertain for many. Critics argue that coercing individuals to leave brings significant political, moral, and economic ramifications.
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