WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security is offering a $3,000 holiday stipend and a free flight home to people in the United States illegally who agree to leave the country by the end of the year, a bid the agency says is aimed at accelerating voluntary departures during the Christmas season.
According to DHS, migrants who enroll in the government’s CBP Home smartphone app to self-deport before Dec. 31 will receive the cash payment, airfare to their home country and forgiveness of certain civil fines tied to overstaying or failing to depart.
The limited-time offer triples a previous incentive, DHS said in a statement released Monday.
“Since January 2025, 1.9 million illegal aliens have voluntarily self-deported and tens of thousands have used the CBP Home program,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said. “During the Christmas season, the U.S. taxpayer is so generously tripling the incentive to leave voluntarily for those in this country illegally — offering a $3,000 exit bonus, but just until the end of the year.”
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Noem warned that those who do not take the offer face arrest and deportation and would be barred from returning to the United States.
The CBP Home app allows users to submit personal information and coordinate their departure digitally. DHS says the process is “fast, free and easy,” with the department arranging and paying for travel once an applicant is approved.
The holiday campaign is part of the administration’s broader push to increase removals while encouraging voluntary compliance. DHS argues the program reduces enforcement costs and border strain by persuading migrants to leave on their own.
Critics have questioned whether cash incentives are appropriate, while supporters say the approach is cheaper and more humane than prolonged detention and forced removals.
For now, DHS is leaning into the seasonal pitch. Promotional images for the program feature a Christmas tree and a phone displaying the app, with the message: “Limited Time Offer: Until the end of the year, take advantage of a $3,000 bonus to head home for the holidays.”
The offer expires at year’s end.