US Triples ‘Self-Deportation’ Bonus to $3,000 as DHS Issues Final End-of-Year Ultimatum to Undocumented Migrants Ahead of Mass Arrests

In a dramatic escalation of the administration’s mass deportation agenda, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced it will pay undocumented migrants $3,000 each to leave the country voluntarily before the year concludes.

The announcement, made today, Monday, December 22, 2025, triples the previous “exit bonus” of $1,000. The move is framed as a final “holiday incentive” to accelerate the removal of millions of people currently residing in the United States without legal status.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued a stern warning alongside the new financial offer, characterizing the stipend as a “generous gift” from American taxpayers. “Illegal aliens should take advantage of this gift and self-deport now,” Secretary Noem stated. “If they don’t, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return to the United States. This is the safest and most dignified way to leave.”

To access the funds, migrants must register via the CBP Home mobile application a platform recently overhauled to facilitate “Project Homecoming.” Once a user passes basic vetting and their departure is confirmed via the app upon arrival in their home country, the $3,000 stipend is disbursed. Participants also receive a cost-free flight and a waiver of the heavy civil fines typically associated with remaining in the U.S. illegally.

The administration’s shift toward incentivized “self-deportation” is largely driven by economics. While the $3,000 payment may seem high, DHS officials pointed to data showing that the average cost of a forced removal including the expenses of ICE raids, long-term detention, and legal proceedings has ballooned to over $17,000 per individual.

However, the program has drawn sharp criticism from human rights advocates and legal experts. Many argue that the “voluntary” nature of the program is an illusion, citing the intense psychological pressure of the administration’s promised 2026 workplace raids and military-assisted enforcement. “Dangling cash before vulnerable families while threatening them with permanent exile is not an ‘incentive,’ it’s coercion,” said one advocacy group spokesperson.

Despite the controversy, DHS claims that the strategy is working. Internal figures suggest that nearly 1.9 million people have opted to leave voluntarily since the start of 2025, significantly reducing the burden on the federal detention system. With the December 31 deadline looming, officials expect a surge in “CBP Home” registrations as the administration prepares for a “more aggressive” enforcement phase set to begin on New Year’s Day.