WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an effort to encourage undocumented immigrants to voluntarily “self-deport”, the Trump administration announced on Monday that it is tripling the financial incentive offered to those who choose to leave the United States on their own, increasing the payment from $1,000 to $3,000.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the payment will be granted to individuals residing in the United States illegally who register to depart the country before the end of the year. The incentive package also includes a free flight to their country of origin and exemption from any outstanding civil fines issued against them.

“Undocumented immigrants should take advantage of this opportunity and self-deport voluntarily, because if they do not, we will find them, arrest them and they will never return,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement released to the media.

The Trump administration launched a new application in March called CBP Home to facilitate the self-deportation process. The application, previously known as CBP One, had been used under former President Biden to process asylum applications at U.S. border ports of entry.

In May, the Department of Homeland Security said the average cost of arresting, detaining and deporting a single undocumented immigrant is approximately $17,000.

Upon taking office in January, Trump pledged to deport one million undocumented immigrants annually, though his administration has so far deported only about 622,000 migrants this year.

The administration is preparing for a more aggressive immigration crackdown in 2026, backed by billions of dollars in new funding. U.S. officials say plans include hiring thousands of additional immigration agents, opening new detention centers and partnering with private companies to track individuals without legal status.