May 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Monday announced an incentive for undocumented immigrants to leave the country: a $1,000 stipend.
DHS described it as a "historic opportunity for illegal aliens to receive both financial and travel assistance to facilitate travel," according to a news release.
There are an estimated 11.6 million unregistered migrants in the United States, according to the Center for Migration Studies. In 2020, it dropped to 10.1 million when Trump was in office the first time.
This new process also gives them a chance to re-enter the United States legally in the future.
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Those who want to self-deport must use the Customs and Border Protection Home App then return to their home country. When out of the United States, they will get $1,000, according to a news release.
"Self-deportation is a dignified way to leave the U.S. and will allow illegal aliens to avoid being encountered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement," the agency said in a news release. "Even with the cost of the stipend, it is projected that the use of CBP Home will decrease the costs of a deportation by around 70 percent."
The average cost to arrest, detain and remove an unregistered immigrant is $17,121, the agency said. The process can be lengthy, including hearings before immigration judges.
On Monday, President Donald Trump told CNN, "We're going to get them a beautiful flight back to where they came from and have a period of time and, if they make it, we're going to work with them so that maybe someday -- with a little work -- they can come back in if they're good people. If they're the kind of people that we want in our country -- industrious people that love our country. And if they're not, they won't."
The CBP Home App was known as CBP One during the Biden administration. In March, the app was changed.
Travel assistance was "already proven successful," the agency said.
One person received a ticket for a flight from Chicago to Honduras.
More tickets have been booked for this week and the following week.
"If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest," said Secretary Kristi Noem. "DHS is now offering illegal aliens financial travel assistance and a stipend to return to their home country through the CBP Home App ... Download the CBP Home App TODAY and self-deport."
Those who submit their intent to voluntarily self-deport on the app also will be "deprioritized for detention and removal ahead of their departure as long as they demonstrate they are making meaningful strides in completing that departure."
In February, DHS launched a multimillion dollar advertising campaign warning undocumented migrants that they will be deported if they are in the United States.
One is directed at migrants in the country and the other targeted at those in a foreign nation thinking of attempting to illegally enter the United States.
The Trump administration has been ramping up deportations and cutting the number of people crossing the border, mainly from Mexico.
Illegal border crossings have plunged to the lowest level in decades.
In March, there were 7,181 encounters at the border, which is a 95% reduction from 136,473 in the same month a year ago and 97% from 2022 of 211,181.
In April, it was roughly 8,400.
The Trump administration through the end of March arrested more than 158,000 unregistered immigrants, including more than 600 suspected members of the Tren de Aragua gang. Of the arrests, 75% had convictions or pending charges, DHS said.
Border czar Tom Homan said they are "targeting the worst of the worst, which we've been doing since day one, and deporting them from the United States through the various laws on the book."
The Trump administration also has been using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. But courts have said it is unlawful because it was designed to be used during times of war.
Deportations have received renewed focus with this president's administration recently. In "Operation Tidal Wave," 800 undocumented migrants were apprehended over four days in Florida, DHS said last week.
Homeland Security on April 29 detailed "100 Days of Making America Safe Again."
Trump ended broad humanitarian parole and returned the program to a case-by-case basis. Terminated were programs of those from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.
Trump also restored the Temporary Protected Status immigration program "to its original status: temporary," the DHS said.
Trump has instituted a "gold card" that allows wealthy people who want to obtain a U.S. visa to pay $5 million to get a pathway to citizenship. This would the EB-5 visa program, which offers a route for permanent residency for rich foreign investors.
