The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a significant, time-limited enhancement to its voluntary departure program, offering undocumented immigrants substantial financial incentives to leave the country before year’s end. Through the CBP Home mobile application, individuals who register for self-deportation by December 31, 2025, will receive a $3,000 cash bonus along with a fully funded plane ticket to their home country.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem characterized the increased incentive as a “generous” holiday-season offering from U.S. taxpayers, noting that the amount represents a tripling of previous voluntary departure bonuses. The program not only provides financial compensation and travel arrangements but also guarantees exemption from fines or civil penalties typically associated with deportation orders.
Official statistics reveal substantial program participation, with approximately 1.9 million undocumented immigrants having voluntarily departed since January 2025, including tens of thousands who utilized the CBP Home application. Secretary Noem emphasized the urgency of the limited-time offer while issuing a stern warning to those who might decline: “Illegal aliens should take advantage of this gift and self-deport because if they don’t, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return.”
The DHS describes the process as streamlined and user-friendly. Prospective participants need only download the CBP Home app, complete their personal information, and await transportation arrangements—all coordinated and financed by the department. This initiative represents one of the most significant financial incentives ever offered for voluntary departure from the United States.