In a new effort to speed up deportation processes, the Trump administration is unveiling an unpopular application, which gives undocumented migrants $1,000 cash and free transportation back to their country in an attempt to convince them to leave voluntarily. 

The program was announced on May 5, 2025, by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, stating in a press release, “We believe self-deportation is safer and cheaper than deportation by US immigration agents.”

Disappointed in deportation numbers despite pledging to deport millions, President Donald Trump’s administration now wants to pay migrants to simply leave the US without conflict. As outlined in documents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), self-deportation offers migrants a “dignified” way to leave the US and lessen the chance of being arrested and detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Eligibility and Process:

Undocumented migrants wanting to register in the program must apply using the CBP Home app — which is a newer version of the CBP One app that federal authorities used to facilitate legal immigration under the Biden administration. The “Intent to Depart” form will be submitted through the app, and from there the steps which go through the certification process and travel arrangements are included.

Eligibility currently only applies to undocumented without a felony warrant, active asylum process, or against national security. The $1,000 stipend is issued when the migrants re-entry is officially verified by US border officials.

Enforcement Benefits:

According to DHS estimates, it costs the US government nearly $17,121 to arrest, detain, and deport one person. In contrast, the new self-deportation plan includes airfare and a $1,000 payment that costs about $4,500 for a 70% savings on total costs.

Aside from the cost, the program is being marketed as a way to alleviate immigration detention centers, clear backlogged legal processing time, and to remove individuals with new costs, with little to no enforcement pressure. While critics have warned about the danger of coercion and the lack of legal protections, the administration is emphasizing, the plan is humane and cost-sensible.