The Trump administration offered to pay a thousand dollars to immigrants who are in the United States illegally and decide to return to their home country.
The administration stated that those who register for self-deportation using the CBP Home app will not be prioritized for arrest and detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, “as long as they demonstrate they are making significant progress towards completing that departure.”
“If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest. The Department of Homeland Security now offers financial assistance to illegal immigrants for the trip and a stipend to return to their home country through the CBP Home app,” said Secretary Kristi Noem.
The incentives offered on Monday are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to pressure unauthorized immigrants, with punishments and sanctions, to leave the United States.
The Trump administration has threatened certain unauthorized immigrants with prosecution, jail time, and fines if they do not register with the federal government. It has also significantly expanded the arrest options for ICE deportation agents, reversing the Biden-era rules that largely limited immigration arrests to serious criminals, national security threats, and recent arrivals.
In its announcement on Monday, the Trump administration presented self-deportation as a “dignified way” to leave the United States, as the alternative could be a forced deportation after being detained by ICE agents.