DHS Raises Self‑Deport Stipend to $2,600

On January 21, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security announced it would raise the self‑deportation stipend for people in the United States illegally from $1,000 to $2,600—a $1,600 increase. The incentive is paid when migrants register and use the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home Mobile App to voluntarily depart the country. DHS has said that since January 2025, 2.2 million individuals have self‑deported, with tens of thousands using the app, but a Brookings Institution report released the week before challenges the agency’s data, estimating only 310,000‑315,000 removals for 2025. The policy is linked to President Donald Trump’s promise to remove illegal occupants and is commemorated as the first year of his administration.