President Donald Trump signed an executive order launching “Project Homecoming,” a voluntary self-deportation initiative offering undocumented immigrants free flights and a $1,000 stipend to leave the United States. Announced in a video address shared online, the program is administered through a Customs and Border Protection mobile application designed to schedule departures and verify compliance.
First previewed by the Department of Homeland Security on May 5, the initiative is framed as a cost-effective alternative to traditional deportation, noted Newsweek. Federal estimates place the average cost of apprehending, detaining, and removing an individual at $17,121—an amount DHS says could be cut by more than 70 percent under Project Homecoming. The stipend is distributed only after an individual’s departure has been confirmed.
In his remarks, Trump emphasized that participation is voluntary—but warned of the consequences for those who remain in the country unlawfully: steep fines, property seizures, wage garnishment, imprisonment, and expedited deportation. “If you’re really good, we’re going to try to help you get back in,” Trump said, though he did not elaborate on how re-entry might be granted.
The program has already facilitated at least one departure, with DHS reporting that an undocumented immigrant from Chicago recently returned to Honduras. Additional returns are expected in the coming weeks. But immigration attorneys and legal scholars have voiced concern that the policy could create confusion and fear—especially among asylum seekers and lawful residents awaiting adjudication. Some warn that individuals may abandon legitimate claims out of panic or misunderstanding.
Immigration has remained a central focus of Trump’s second term, defined by aggressive enforcement tactics and legal efforts to end birthright citizenship for children of non-citizens. While many of these measures have drawn legal challenges, Project Homecoming signals the administration’s ongoing commitment to reshaping immigration policy—and its ultimate effect remains to be seen.
