The temporary increase applies to migrants who use the CBP Home app, with the government covering travel costs and offering relief from certain civil penalties.
WASHINGTON โ People living in the United States illegally can receive a $3,000 stipend and a free flight home if they sign up to voluntarily leave the country through the federal governmentโs CBP Home app by the end of the year, the Department of Homeland Security said.
Under the program, DHS says individuals who self-deport using the app will also qualify for forgiveness of certain civil fines or penalties related to previously failing to leave the country. The department is temporarily increasing the previously announced financial incentive from $1,000 as part of what it described as a holiday push to encourage voluntary departures.
Since the start of the year, 1.9 million migrants have voluntarily self-deported and tens of thousands have used the CBP Home app, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement.ย
The CBP Home app allows users to submit their information electronically and coordinate their departure without being taken into custody. The government covers travel costs and provides the stipend once the individual completes the process.
The agency said people who do not voluntarily depart could instead face arrest or formal deportation, as well as be banned from returning to the U.S.ย
The announcement comes as immigration enforcement and border policy remain central political issues heading into the new year. DHS did not specify how the $3,000 payments will be distributed or how many people it projects will participate before the deadline.
The DHS said the incentive is only for the end of the year, with the department returning to its original policies at the start of 2026.
