U.S. Offers Migrants Free Flights and $1,000 Stipend to Encourage Voluntary Deportation

Trump Administration Offers Free Flights and $1,000 Stipend for Migrants to Self-Deport

The Trump administration announced Monday that it will provide free airline tickets and a $1,000 incentive to certain unauthorized immigrants who voluntarily agree to self-deport and return to their home countries.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that it has already assisted some migrants in securing flights, with one individual successfully returning to Honduras after using the self-deportation program to book a flight out of Chicago.

Migrants interested in participating in the voluntary return program are instructed to use the CBP Home app — initially developed under the Biden administration to manage certain legal entries — to notify officials of their intention to leave the U.S.

Those who opt into the program will receive both travel assistance and the $1,000 stipend. DHS officials clarified that the stipend will only be paid once the U.S. government confirms the migrant’s departure.

Additionally, the Trump administration announced that individuals who enroll in the self-deportation initiative through the CBP Home app will be deprioritized for arrest and detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), provided they are making significant progress in their departure plans.

The incentives announced on Monday are part of a larger strategy by the Trump administration to encourage unauthorized immigrants to leave the U.S. using a combination of both incentives and penalties.

The administration has threatened certain unauthorized immigrants with prosecution, jail time, and fines if they fail to register with federal authorities. Additionally, it has expanded the scope of those who can be targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation, reversing Biden-era guidelines that primarily focused on serious criminals, national security threats, and recent arrivals.

In its announcement, the Trump administration framed self-deportation as a “dignified” option for migrants, contrasting it with the potential alternative of forced deportation after being detained by ICE.

However, the self-deportation initiative also serves a practical purpose by helping the government conserve resources. As it stands, ICE lacks the staffing, detention space, and logistical capacity to locate, arrest, detain, and deport the millions of immigrants estimated to be living in the country without authorization.

DHS officials argued on Monday that the travel assistance and stipend could also save the U.S. government money, noting that the average cost of arresting, detaining, and deporting a migrant is $17,121.

DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin reported that the Trump administration has tracked “thousands” of self-deportations to date.

The administration has consistently stated that migrants participating in the self-deportation program may be able to return to the U.S. legally in the future. However, applying for legal entry into the U.S. is often a complex, time-consuming, and costly process. Many migrants, especially those who are poor or without family or employment connections in the U.S., do not qualify for visas. Furthermore, those who have been in the U.S. illegally for more than a year may face a 10-year ban on reentry.