DHS Triples Voluntary Exit Bonus to $3,000 for Undocumented Migrants Before 2026 Deadline
The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed it is tripling the financial incentive for undocumented migrants who voluntarily leave the United States by the end of 2025, upping the payout to $3,000 and offering free airfare home.
The move, announced Monday, raises conflict as the government amplifies its immigration enforcement strategy during the holiday season and ahead of a broader 2026 enforcement push.
According to DHS and reporting by CBS News, the increased “exit bonus” applies to anyone in the country without lawful status who registers through the CBP Home smartphone app and departs by December 31, 2025. Participants will receive the stipend after the government confirms they have left and can also qualify for waivers of certain civil fines tied to unlawful presence.
The stipend replaces the previous $1,000 offer, and DHS said it includes a free plane ticket home as part of the package.
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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, in a statement to CBS News, underscored the voluntary nature of the program while signaling enforcement consequences for non-participants, saying those who do not take the offer “will be found, we will arrest them, and they will never return.”
DHS frames the incentive as both a cost-saving measure compared with traditional deportations and a way to expedite removals before next year’s expanded operations.
What's next?
The deadline for the increased stipend and travel assistance remains December 31, 2025, with officials urging eligible migrants to take advantage of the limited-time offer.
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