This new program provides undocumented people who want to leave with $2,600, one time. The government will also book and pay for a commercial flight to their country of origin, or to a country where they are allowed to live legally. And in some situations, any penalties for not leaving sooner might be cancelled.
What the programme offers
Those taking part won’t be arrested or held while they get ready to go. The idea is an organized trip, with a short period of being safe from arrest, so people can finish up their jobs, schooling, and personal things before they leave. This is intended to make the process less stressful and risky for those leaving.
The Department of Homeland Security compared costs to show why the program is a good idea. They say it normally costs about $18,245 per person to forcibly deport someone. With this voluntary program, though, it only costs around $5,100 per person when the money and the flight are included.
How migrants can apply
People can sign up for this through the CBP Home mobile app (created by Customs and Border Protection). They can say they intend to leave, give their personal details, and find out about flights and the $2,600. Once they’ve signed up, the government will check to be sure they actually leave the country.
The Department of Homeland Security has been using social media to get the word out to particular groups of people. They’ve used pictures of famous places, including the Taj Mahal for people from India, to let people know about the help with travel and the $2,600. Officials say they are using pictures relevant to many different countries because the program is for people from all over the world.
The app is supposed to make planning easy. Officials believe that using the app will allow people to leave in an orderly way, and stop them from trying to travel without the correct papers in ways that could be messy or dangerous.
Practical benefits for participants
Those participating get time to get ready to leave without being immediately arrested. This temporary protection from arrest allows them to find a place to live, get their affairs in order, and get their travel documents. The government may also waive fines for leaving later than they should have.
The free flights and help with planning the trip make things easier for families and individuals who would have a hard time arranging travel themselves. Authorities say the program means less need for holding people in detention and for long court cases (which can take months, even years).
Project Homecoming, funding, and scale
This voluntary departure program is part of Project Homecoming, which started when the current President took office. It’s part of a larger $200 million plan called “Stay Out and Leave Now,” and some money intended for helping refugees settle has been used to fund it. The amount of money offered has changed: it went from $1,000 to $3,000, and is now $2,600.
Since January 2025, over 1.2 million people have used the program. The Department of Homeland Security says this is a major change in how things are done, designed to control the number of people coming into the country while also reducing the cost of enforcement. At the same time, they are still focusing enforcement on people who have committed crimes.
Officials at the Department of Homeland Security describe letting people leave on their own as a sensible and kinder way to deal with deportations. They say it reduces the pressure on detention centers, public services, and the courts, and also helps with public safety. They also believe the program has contributed to the reported drop in the number of people entering the country without permission.
Policy rationale and ongoing debate
However, people who are critical of the program and those who observe it are questioning what will happen in the long run, and whether offering money will change people’s reasons for coming to the country. They have worries about fairness, using money meant for resettling refugees, and how the program will affect families and people who are in a weak position. Policymakers will probably watch the program carefully as more information becomes available.
As Project Homecoming gets bigger, officials say they’ll keep improving how they get the word out and how the program works. The government presents this plan as one of many methods, including enforcement and legal steps, to manage immigration in a way that is under control and doesn’t cost too much.
