The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has unveiled a temporary program encouraging undocumented migrants to voluntarily leave the country during the holiday season.
Under the initiative, migrants who register to self-deport through the CBP Home app by December 31 will receive a $3,000 stipend and a free flight to their home country, DHS announced Monday. Participants will also have civil fines and penalties for overstaying waived.
According to DHS, about 1.9 million undocumented migrants have voluntarily left the United States since January 2025, with tens of thousands doing so through the CBP Home platform.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the new offer as a holiday-themed enhancement to the existing “Project Homecoming” program, established in May 2025 under a presidential proclamation by President Donald Trump. Initially, participants received $1,000 and a flight home, but the holiday incentive temporarily triples the payment to encourage more people to take part.
“During this Christmas season, U.S. taxpayers are funding a $3,000 exit bonus for those here illegally — but only until the end of the year,” DHS said in a statement.
Noem also warned that those who refuse to leave voluntarily could face arrest, deportation, and permanent bans on reentry. “Illegal aliens should take advantage of this opportunity to self-deport because if they don’t, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return,” she said.
The CBP Home app allows users to securely submit their information, after which DHS arranges and pays for their travel home. Funding for the program comes from $250 million redirected from refugee resettlement efforts by the State Department.
