The Trump administration has unveiled a controversial new initiative offering undocumented immigrants in the United States a $1,000 incentive to voluntarily return to their countries of origin.

Announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday, the program promises both financial support and travel arrangements for participants who agree to leave the country through a newly rebranded app called CBP Home. 

The app, which replaces the Biden-era CBPOne that facilitated legal asylum applications at the southern border, now functions solely as a departure tool.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement that the offer is aimed at reducing costs and enforcement efforts.

“If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest, and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest,” she said.

According to the DHS, the incentive is issued only after departure is confirmed via the app. 

One individual has reportedly completed the process, flying from Chicago to Honduras, and several more departures are scheduled in the coming weeks.

The department estimates that the initiative could cut deportation expenses by up to 70%. The current average cost to detain and deport an undocumented person is approximately $17,121, it stated.

While the DHS suggested that participants may retain the option to re-enter the U.S. legally in the future, immigration advocates warned the claim is misleading. 

“This is a trap,” said Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council. “Leaving now could actually harm a person’s legal prospects.”

Critics argue the program reflects a broader effort to implement “self-deportation” policies by making life in the U.S. so difficult for undocumented individuals that they choose to leave on their own.

Source: The Guardian

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