US policy to give cash, flights to migrants to leave country sees mixed results
Published on March 18, 2026.
A Department of Homeland Security program, Project Homecoming, has resulted in 72,000 people voluntarily leaving the U.S. in a bid to incentivize undocumented immigrants to return to their home countries and save taxpayers money on deportation enforcement. The program, unveiled in 2025 after President Donald Trump returned to office, offers cash and free flights for those without legal status to leave the country. The majority of those who signed up were already in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention. The administration has claimed that tens of thousands of people have used the program, which is cheaper than traditional deportation methods and avoids costs to arrest, detain, and fly people out of the country on government-chartered planes. However, it is unclear how many used the CBP Home app for their departures.
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