US Self-Deportation for Undocumented Migrants: The US Department of Homeland Security has decided to raise the money it offers to undocumented migrants who choose to leave the country on their own. Under the new rule, the government now promises $3,000 instead of $1,000 to people who agree to self-deport.
Officials say migrants must register with the federal government and leave the United States by December 31, 2025. The goal is simple. The government wants people to leave faster while spending less money on arrests and detention.
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Migrants who qualify will also get free flight tickets back to their home countries. DHS says it may cancel some civil fines or penalties linked to staying in the country illegally if the person follows the rules and leaves on time.
The government will only pay the $3,000 after it confirms that the migrant has fully exited the United States.
CBP Home app now tracks exits, not entry
To join the program, migrants must use a mobile app called CBP Home. This app comes from the older CBP One platform. The earlier version helped manage asylum appointments at the southern border.
Now the app has a new job. Instead of helping people enter the US, it helps people leave. Migrants use the app to tell the government they plan to go home and to show progress toward departure.
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DHS says people who show what it calls “meaningful strides” toward leaving may be pushed lower on the list for arrest or detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Officials have not clearly explained how long this protection lasts or how they measure compliance. This has raised doubts about how safe migrants are while they prepare to leave.
Once DHS approves a case, the agency arranges travel. The app helps track each step until the person exits the country.
Cheaper than Arrests and deportations
DHS says this plan saves money for US taxpayers. According to ICE estimates from May 2025, arresting, detaining, and deporting one undocumented migrant costs about $17,000. Voluntary departures cost far less, even with free flights and cash payments.
The department says this approach cuts pressure on federal resources and speeds up removals. Officials describe the $3,000 offer as part of a holiday season push to clear cases faster and avoid long detention stays.
The program fits into a wider immigration plan that mixes enforcement with pressure to leave. While arrests by ICE and border agents continue, the government also pushes families and minors to self-deport instead of facing court cases or detention.
This strategy now includes younger migrants as well. In October, the government announced it would offer $2,500 to migrant teenagers who agree to return home voluntarily, as earlier reported by CBS News.
