President Donald Trump led US-administration on Monday announced that it will pay $1,000 to undocumented immigrants who will voluntarily return to their home countries, as part of its broader deportation efforts.
It will also cover travel costs, and people who use the CBP Home app to say they plan to return home will be “deprioritized” for arrest and deportation, the Department of Homeland Security said in a news release.
The Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that, “If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest. DHS is now offering illegal aliens financial travel assistance and a stipend to return to their home country through the CBP Home App.”
Stephen Miller, who serves as Trump’s chief policy and homeland security adviser, took to X saying that “savings are as much as $1 million per illegal alien family given the long-term costs of free welfare and public support.”
Immigration enforcement and large-scale deportation of undocumented immigrants remain central to Trump’s campaign platform, despite the significant financial and operational demands of such measures.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement last week said that during Trump’s initial 100 days after returning to the White House, their officers have removed approximately 66,000 undocumented immigrants.
“We’re just 100 days into this administration and thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem, ICE is using every tool at its disposal to enforce our country’s immigration laws and protect our communities,” Acting ICE director Todd Lyons said.