The Trump administration has significantly increased the financial incentive for undocumented migrants to voluntarily leave the United States, tripling the payout under its self-deportation programme to $3,000, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Monday. The move comes as the administration intensifies its crackdown on illegal immigration.
Under the revised policy, individuals living in the U.S. without legal status who register to depart voluntarily by the end of the year will be eligible for the stipend, along with a free flight to their home country. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem described the initiative as a final opportunity for migrants to leave on their own terms, warning that those who do not comply will face arrest and permanent barriers to re-entry.
The increased payout follows the March launch of CBP Home, a rebranded mobile application designed to streamline voluntary departures. The app, previously known as CBP One, had been used during the Biden administration to facilitate legal migrant entry into the U.S.
According to DHS, voluntary departures are far more cost-effective than forced removals. The department estimates that arresting, detaining, and deporting an undocumented migrant costs an average of $17,000 per person.
President Donald Trump, who returned to office in January after campaigning on record deportations, has stepped up immigration enforcement despite legal and political challenges. While the administration has pledged to deport up to one million immigrants annually, approximately 622,000 removals have been carried out so far this year.
U.S. officials have indicated that enforcement efforts will intensify further in 2026, supported by billions of dollars in new funding. Planned measures include hiring thousands of additional immigration agents, expanding detention facilities, and working with private firms to locate undocumented individuals across the country.
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