DHS Introduces Travel Assistance and $1,000 Stipend for Voluntary Self-Deportation Program

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a new program that offers travel assistance and a $1,000 stipend to undocumented immigrants who choose to voluntarily return to their home countries. The initiative, accessible through the CBP One App, aims to provide a structured process for self-deportation. The first participant, an undocumented immigrant from Honduras, has already returned home using the program, and additional departures are scheduled in the coming weeks.

Under the program, undocumented immigrants can use the CBP One App to submit an “Intent to Depart” and receive support for travel arrangements, such as flight bookings. Upon verification of their return to their country of origin, participants are eligible for a $1,000 stipend. DHS states that the program offers an alternative to traditional deportation processes, which involve arrest, detention, and removal by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest, and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest. DHS is now offering undocumented immigrants financial travel assistance and a stipend to return to their home country through the CBP One App,” said Secretary Kristi Noem. “This is the safest option for our law enforcement and for the individuals, and it represents a 70% savings for U.S. taxpayers. Download the CBP One App TODAY and self-deport.”

The initiative is expected to reduce deportation costs by approximately 70%. The average cost of traditional deportation is reported at $17,121 per individual, while the travel assistance and stipend model aims to lower expenses. Participants who demonstrate progress toward departure through the program may be deprioritized for ICE detention and removal actions. DHS also notes that voluntary self-deportation could preserve options for legal re-entry into the United States in the future.

The program’s first case involved an undocumented immigrant who used the app to arrange a flight from Chicago to Honduras. DHS reports that additional individuals have booked travel through the program. To participate, eligible individuals must download the CBP One App and submit their “Intent to Depart.”

Data from the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) reveals that over the last 20 years, approximately 3,500 Nepalis have received deportation orders from U.S. immigration courts, with nearly 40 percent—about 1,400—listing New York as their residence at the time of the ruling, according to the TRAC report.

Of the roughly 3,000 Nepalis still in the U.S. despite deportation orders, about 1,500 are shielded by Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a humanitarian program granted after Nepal’s 2015 earthquake, while another 1,400 live without any legal protection.

Recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data highlights that 1,356 Nepalis with deportation orders issued since June 2015 remain in the country without TPS.

Statistics show that among the 3,500 Nepalis with deportation orders over the past two decades, around 500 resided in California, 350 in Texas, 200 in Maryland, and 150 in Georgia at the time of their court rulings. However, no precise data tracks their current locations, as many may have relocated after their hearings.

Of these individuals, approximately 2,200 were never detained, 800 were released after detention, and 550 received deportation orders while in custody—most of whom have likely returned to Nepal, as reported by TRAC. Legal representation also varied: about 2,300 hired lawyers, while 1,200 faced proceedings without counsel, potentially exacerbating their challenges in navigating the system, as highlighted in the TRAC report.