The Trump administration announced Monday that migrants who “self-deport” using a government app will receive a $1,000 incentive — a move officials say could cut costs and ease pressure on the system.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) called the payout a way to “facilitate travel back to their home country,” to be issued once the departure is confirmed through the CBP Home app.
Though unconventional, the administration argues the policy could save taxpayers money, pointing to the $17,000 price tag associated with arresting, detaining, and deporting migrants.
“Self-deportation is a dignified way to leave the U.S.,” DHS said, noting that those who opt in will be deprioritized for enforcement as long as they show progress in arranging their departure.
The revamped CBP Home app — formerly Biden’s CBP One — now helps users plan their exit, book travel, and obtain necessary documents, typically allowing a departure within three weeks.
Touted as offering “flexibility, not fear,” the app launch comes amid Trump’s pledge for the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history. His administration claims over 135,000 deportations in its first 100 days, including controversial removals to foreign prisons.
