The administration of President Donald Trump has issued an update on the new programme offering $2,600 and free flights to certain undocumented immigrants who voluntarily leave the United States.
In an update on Wednesday, March 18, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the initiative is part of what it described as a “historic” push to encourage self-deportation through a government mobile application.
Under the programme, eligible individuals who opt to leave the country voluntarily will receive:
- A $2,600 exit bonus
- Free travel to their home country or another country where they have legal status
- Forgiveness of fines related to failure to depart
The process is managed through the CBP Home App, which allows users to register their intent to leave and arrange departure.
DHS said the app has been redesigned to simplify the process, requiring only basic information and allowing migrants time to organise their exit.
Outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem urged undocumented immigrants to take up the offer, warning of consequences for those who do not comply.
“If you don’t, you will be subjected to fines, arrest, deportation, and will never be allowed to return,” she said.
She added that those who choose to leave voluntarily may preserve the possibility of returning to the United States legally in the future.
Enforcement trade-off
DHS said individuals who register through the app and pass vetting will be temporarily deprioritised for detention or enforcement by immigration authorities ahead of their scheduled departure.
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The programme applies mainly to non-criminal undocumented immigrants, offering what DHS describes as a “safe and orderly” alternative to arrest and forced removal.
The plan combines stricter enforcement warnings with financial incentives aimed at reducing the number of undocumented immigrants in the country.
DHS said the initiative is intended to streamline departures while reducing the burden on enforcement agencies.
No further details were immediately provided on how many people are expected to qualify or the total cost of the programme.
This comes after Trump fired Kristi Noem as the DHS Secretary and immediately named Senator Markwayne Mullin as her replacement, effective March 31, 2026.
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, March 5, the president said Noem would transition to a new role as Special Envoy for “The Shield of the Americas,” a Western Hemisphere security initiative set to be unveiled Saturday in Doral, Florida.
“I am pleased to announce that the highly respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026,” Trump wrote.
“The current Secretary, Kristi Noem, who has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!), will be moving to be Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida. I thank Kristi for her service at “Homeland.”
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Trump praised Mullin’s record in Congress and highlighted his political alignment with the administration’s immigration and border enforcement agenda.
Nearly 3 million migrants have left under Trump in second term
The shake-up cames just days after DHS released a sweeping report touting what it described as “historic progress in keeping the Homeland secure.”
Noem, who became the eighth Secretary of Homeland Security in 2025 after serving as Governor of South Dakota, presided over a sweeping overhaul of immigration enforcement and border operations during Trump’s first year back in office.
Nearly 3 million illegal immigrants left the United States over the past 13 months, including an estimated 2.2 million self-deportations and more than 713,000 formal deportations, according to a DHS release dated February 24, 2026.
“Over the last 13 months, nearly 3 million illegal aliens have left the U.S. because of the Trump Administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, including an estimated 2.2 million self-deportations and more than 713,000 deportations.”
The statement further claimed that total southwest border apprehensions during Trump’s first year — 90,084 — were “lower than a single average month under the Biden administration.”
