NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 27: Ecuadorian mothers Andrea, 28, (L) and her cousin Jennyfer nervously prepare to board their flight to Ecuador from JFK International Airport on October 27, 2025 in New York, New York. They had decided to “self deport” after their husbands were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and later deported to Ecuador due to their undocumented status. The mothers, unable to work and care for their children without spousal support, chose to return to Ecuador with the help of the aid group Danbury Unites, whose donors purchased their air tickets to Quito and volunteers assisted with the logistics of moving. Andrea said she chose not to use the Trump Administration’s app CBP Home, fearing that by sharing personal information with ICE, she could be permanently separated from her two children during the “self deportation” process. Andrea’s youngest daughter Shanell, 7 months, was born in the United States and is a U.S. citizen. Like other small immigrant community aid organizations around the United States, Danbury Unites’ Post-Disappearance Support Group strives to provide such vulnerable families whose loved ones have been detained with a modicum of safety while offering both emotional and tangible support by connecting immigrants to resources, regardless of whether they decide to stay in the U.S. or leave. Such groups have provided a humanitarian lifeline to many immigrant communities currently living in fear across the United States, as ICE expands its operations with the express mandate of mass deportations.

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Billal RahmanShane Croucher

By Billal Rahman and Shane Croucher

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it is tripling the financial incentive for migrants without legal status to self-deport over the Christmas period, now offering a $3,000 "exit bonus" until the end of December for those who leave using the CBP Home app.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a news release that 1.9 million migrants who had been living in the U.S. illegally had voluntarily self-deported since President Donald Trump's second term began in January.

"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," Noem said in a statement.

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Andrea, left, and her cousin Jennyfer prepare to board their flight to Ecuador from John F. Kennedy International Airport on October 27 in New York.

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Why It Matters

DHS said all eligible participants who depart by December 31 would receive free airfare to their home countries and have waived certain civil fines or penalties associated with remaining in the U.S. illegally, provided they voluntarily self-deport. Individuals who voluntarily left the U.S. through the self-deportation program were previously offered $1,000 to do so.

What To Know

The Trump administration has highlighted CBP Home as a tool for individuals to leave the U.S. without encountering Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody—while also including features for people who regularly cross the border legally, such as when traveling to and from Mexico.

The app, which replaced CBP One, allows users to declare their intent to depart, provide confirmation once they have left and track their status with the government.

According to DHS, the self-deportation feature is intended for individuals in the country illegally or whose parole has ended following the expiration of certain protections. By notifying the government of their departure, users may be able to avoid more severe consequences, such as detention or expedited removal.

DHS previously told Newsweek that tens of thousands of migrants had used the CBP Home app to voluntarily leave the U.S., but the agency did not provide a precise figure.

What People Are Saying

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson previously told Newsweek: "Tens of thousands of illegal aliens have utilized the CBP Home app. 1.6 million illegal immigrants have left the United States population since January 20, not all utilizing the CBP Home App."

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a news release on Monday: "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."

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