United States Promotes “Self-Deportations” With Cash Incentives and Record Expulsions in 2025

Self-Deportations With Financial Incentives

ICE Intensifies Operations

Program Offers $1,000

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed that more than 1.6 million undocumented migrants have chosen to leave the United States voluntarily during 2025.

The phenomenon, known as “self-deportation,” is part of an official program offering $1,000 and a plane ticket to those who register to depart the country.

According to DHS data, another 500,000 people have been deported through operations carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and the U.S. Border Patrol.

The announcement comes amid a stricter immigration policy promoted by President Donald Trump, who has intensified enforcement actions along the border and in major U.S. cities.

Self-Deportations With Financial Incentives

Self-Deportation Program Now Offers Cash Incentives – Photo: Shutterstock

The U.S. self-deportation program was launched nationwide with a massive advertising campaign promising benefits to those who choose to leave voluntarily instead of being forcibly removed.

Although the DHS did not disclose how much money has been invested in the initiative, local media estimate that millions of dollars have been allocated for its implementation.

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Tricia McLaughlin, Deputy Secretary for Public Affairs at DHS, stated that the government “is on track to break current deportation records.”

Authorities argue that the plan aims to reduce detention and legal processing costs while facilitating the “voluntary” departure of individuals already under deportation orders.

Mass Raids and Political Criticism

In parallel, ICE has launched large-scale operations in cities with high immigrant populations, such as Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles.

These operations include nighttime raids and inspections at workplaces and residences — actions that human rights organizations have described as “military-style tactics.”

Several Democratic politicians have condemned the raids, accusing the federal government of creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty within immigrant communities.

Civil rights advocates have demanded transparency in the administration of the U.S. self-deportation program, questioning the use of public funds to promote what they describe as forced removals disguised as voluntary departures.

Have you heard about CBP Home? CBP Home is a mobile app developed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office that allows undocumented immigrants to self-deport, returning to their countries of origin.

What are some of the benefits of… pic.twitter.com/PgLyTqDNuF

— Embajada EEUU en ES (@USEmbassySV) October 25, 2025

Record Self-Deportations and Rising Social Tensions

According to official figures, combined deportations —both voluntary and forced— could exceed 2 million cases before the end of the year.

The DHS celebrates this outcome as progress toward its goal of “restoring immigration order,” while activist groups describe it as an unprecedented mass expulsion campaign.

The White House, for its part, has defended the self-deportation program, arguing that it helps relieve pressure on detention facilities and the immigration court system.

However, the debate continues to grow between those who see the policy as a violation of human rights and those who consider it an effective response to rising irregular migration, according to EFE.