DHS Launches Self-Deportation Program with Free Flights and $1,000 Stipend
The Department of Homeland Security is offering free commercial flights and a $1,000 stipend to illegal immigrants who choose to self-deport, saying the plan will save taxpayers up to 70% compared to traditional deportation costs.
Migrants must use the CBP Home app and won’t receive the stipend until departure is confirmed. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem called it the “safest and most cost-effective” option, allowing future legal reentry.
Critics say it rewards illegal entry, but DHS insists it reduces costs and immigration backlogs. Meanwhile, illegal border crossings have plummeted under Trump’s renewed enforcement push.