Trump Administration Offers $3K Incentive for Immigrants to Leave U.S.

Kristi Noem and the Department of Homeland Security just dropped what might be the most controversial holiday offer of the season as immigration enforcement, money, and politics collide in one very loud December announcement.

According to DHS, undocumented immigrants who voluntarily leave the United States by the end of the year using the CBP Home app will receive a $3,000 cash stipend plus a free flight back to their home country. Yes, you read that right. Uncle Sam is cutting checks for self deportation and calling it a holiday gift.

The announcement came straight from Washington on December 22, framed as an incentive driven push to accelerate departures before the calendar flips. DHS says the program is already showing results, claiming that since January 2025 roughly 1.9 million people have voluntarily left the country, with tens of thousands using the CBP Home app specifically. The department is now tripling the incentive through the end of the year in what it calls a limited time offer.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem did not mince words.

“Since January 2025, 1.9 million illegal aliens have voluntarily self-deported and tens of thousands have used the CBP Home program. 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,” she said.

“Illegal aliens should take advantage of this gift and self-deport because if they don’t, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return.”

Beyond the cash and airfare, DHS says participants who use the app will also receive forgiveness for any civil fines or penalties related to overstaying or failing to depart previously. The pitch is being marketed as fast, free, and simple. Download the app, submit your information, and the government handles the rest, including travel arrangements.

Critics are already lining up to question the optics and the math. Supporters argue it saves taxpayers money compared to long detention and enforcement processes. Opponents see it as coercive, threatening, or politically performative. Either way, the messaging is crystal clear. Take the deal now or face arrest and permanent exclusion later.

Whether this becomes a blueprint for future immigration policy or a short term political stunt, one thing is certain. This holiday season, the loudest gift under the tree is coming from DHS.

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