According to Fox News border correspondent Bill Melugin, the Department of Homeland Security is preparing to pay for commercial flights for illegal migrants who self-deport — and offer a stipend once they are confirmed to be out of the country.
From Fox News:
The Department of Homeland Security will front the cost of commercial flights and provide a $1,000 stipend to illegal aliens who opt to self-deport from the United States in a move DHS says will save thousands of dollars.
The department says this will be 70% cheaper for American taxpayers, as it currently costs DHS, on average, over $17,000 to arrest, detain, and deport someone. DHS told Fox News that paying for aliens to remove themselves, even with the stipend, is anticipated to cost only around $4,500 on average.
The stipend would not be paid until it was verified that an individual self-deported. Aliens will use the CBP Home self-deportation app to access this assistance, and DHS expects self-removals, already in the thousands, to ramp up significantly with this announcement.
According to a news release, those who use the CBP Home app to leave the U.S. will be “deprioritized for detention and removal” if they are actually taking steps to exit the country.
“If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem told Fox News in a statement.
“DHS is now offering illegal aliens financial travel assistance and a stipend to return to their home country through the CBP Home App. This is the safest option for our law enforcement, aliens and is a 70% savings for US taxpayers. Download the CBP Home App TODAY and self-deport,” she continued.
Melugin reported on the news early Monday morning:
“DHS will announce today that they’re going to start paying for the commercial flights of illegal aliens who self-deport from the U.S. And on top of that, they’re going to pay them an additional $1,000 stipend once they are confirmed to have left the country.”
“Doing this is going to be significantly cheaper for the American taxpayer… Right now, it costs on average about $17,000 to arrest, detain and deport someone… Paying for self-deportations and the stipend will only cost about $4,500 per person.”
Watch Melugin’s report below:
.@BillMelugin_: "DHS will announce today that they're going to start paying for the commercial flights of illegal aliens who self-deport from the U.S. And on top of that, they're going to pay them an additional $1,000 stipend once they are confirmed to have left the country."… pic.twitter.com/I6BId3OVDt
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 5, 2025
This story is developing…
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