Is the US paying illegal immigrants to self deport
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Executive summary
Yes — the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has been offering cash stipends and travel assistance to people in the country without lawful status who voluntarily return to their home countries through a program tied to the CBP Home mobile app; the original stipend announced was $1,000 and the administration later announced a temporary increase to $3,000 for those who sign up by a year‑end deadline [1] [2]. The program is presented by DHS as a cost‑saving, “dignified” alternative to detention and formal removal, but reporting and legal advocates warn of delayed or missing payments, potential loss of legal rights, and political motives behind the push [3] [4] [5] [6].
1. What the government says it is doing
The Department of Homeland Security publicly rolled out a voluntary self‑departure option that includes travel assistance and a stipend paid after return is confirmed through the CBP Home app, initially described as $1,000 per person and later promoted in a year‑end campaign with an increased $3,000 “holiday” stipend for those who sign up by the deadline [1] [3] [2]. DHS has said participants who register and show “meaningful strides” toward departure will be deprioritized for detention and removal while completing their departure arrangements, and the agency frames the approach as both humane and cheaper than traditional enforcement — citing an estimated average cost of roughly $17,000 for an arrest, detention and formal removal [1] [4].
2. How the program is being delivered in practice
DHS routes the program through the CBP Home app (formerly CBP One), which allows people to indicate intent to leave, confirm departure, and request travel help; DHS guidance promises timely departure arrangements and payment after confirmation of return, and it says voluntary departure may preserve some future immigration options and lead to forgiveness of certain fines [3] [1]. The administration has also run time‑limited promotional pushes — described in press releases and reported coverage — to accelerate participation and reduce detention burdens [2] [7].
3. Reporting on results and problems
Journalistic investigations and reporting find mixed results: DHS and administration social posts claim large numbers of “voluntary” departures, but independent reporting shows far fewer confirmed CBP Home departures and documents cases where payments were delayed, misdirected, or never received by migrants who expected them [4] [5]. ProPublica and The Guardian reporting cited in coverage noted tens of thousands using the app but also highlighted logistical failures and confusion about eligibility and payment timing [5].
4. Legal and advocacy objections
Immigration lawyers and advocates warn the stipend program can pressure people to give up legal claims or court protections — for example, terminating pending asylum or immigration court cases — and that the financial offer may not compensate for forfeited legal rights or future immigration options [6] [3]. Critics also fault the government for using court dockets and outreach that may improperly influence people with active cases, and for overstating program metrics in official claims [5].
5. Motives, politics and unanswered questions
DHS frames the program as a cost‑saving operational tool; analysts and critics argue it is also political theater intended to increase removals without the full expense and scrutiny of detention operations, an argument reinforced by a late‑year stipend increase timed with a public enforcement ramp‑up [1] [8] [2]. Important gaps remain in public reporting and official documentation: precise counts of who actually received stipends, the duration and scope of detention‑deprioritization protections, and full data on long‑term immigration consequences for participants are not available in the sources provided [5] [3].
Conclusion — direct answer
Yes: the federal government has been paying cash stipends and providing travel assistance to some people in the U.S. without lawful status who voluntarily leave the country via the CBP Home program — initially $1,000 and later promoted with a temporary $3,000 offer — but implementation problems, contested tallies, and legal concerns about coercion and waived rights complicate claims that the program is straightforwardly humane or administratively flawless [1] [2] [5] [6].