What Is the CBP Home App?
CBP Home is a mobile application from U.S. Customs and Border Protection that the Department of Homeland Security has turned into the centerpiece of its "self-deportation" campaign. It is the rebranded version of the earlier CBP One app, which a prior administration used mainly to schedule border appointments. In 2025, DHS relaunched the tool as CBP Home and added an "intent to depart" function that lets people without lawful immigration status tell the government they plan to leave the United States on their own.
The app is the operational core of Project Homecoming, the self-deportation initiative the administration launched by presidential proclamation in May 2025. A user submits identifying information, confirms an intent to depart, and — after leaving — verifies the departure through the app. DHS presents this as a faster, cheaper alternative to being arrested, detained, and formally removed. Immigration advocates see it very differently. Both perspectives matter, because the legal stakes are real and lasting. For a plain-English primer, see our explainer on what self-deportation actually means.
The Stipend and "Travel Assistance"
The financial incentive is the headline feature. DHS initially advertised a $1,000 stipend, paid after a person's return to their home country is confirmed through the app, together with free or subsidized airfare and other "travel assistance." According to news reporting across 2025 and 2026, DHS later raised the advertised payment, and figures cited in the press have run higher than the original $1,000, including temporary holiday-season increases. Because the amount has changed more than once, treat any specific number you see as provisional and confirm it against official DHS channels before relying on it.
DHS has also said it will forgive certain accrued civil penalties for "failure to depart" for people who use the app to leave. Officials have publicized participation totals as well, though journalists and immigration organizations have questioned how those numbers are counted. The underlying offer, however, stays consistent: a cash payment and a plane ticket in exchange for leaving voluntarily.
Before you tap "submit"
Using the CBP Home app is a legal decision, not just a travel booking. A stipend cannot undo a multi-year re-entry bar or revive an application you abandon by leaving. Talk with a licensed immigration attorney about your specific history before you confirm an intent to depart.
Who Is Being Targeted?
Project Homecoming is aimed at people who lack lawful immigration status — including those who overstayed a visa, entered without inspection, or already have a final order of removal. DHS has promoted the app widely, and in some messaging it has paired the offer with the threat of arrest, detention, daily fines, and formal deportation for those who do not leave. That "leave now or face the consequences" framing is intentional, which is exactly why you should understand your rights before acting. Our guide on your rights during an ICE encounter explains what officers can and cannot do.
The Serious Legal Consequences of Leaving
Here is what the marketing does not stress: for many people, physically departing the United States is the event that triggers the bars keeping them out for years. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), someone who accrued more than 180 days of unlawful presence and then leaves is generally subject to a three-year re-entry bar; a person with a year or more of unlawful presence who departs faces a ten-year bar. Using the app to leave does not waive these bars.
| Unlawful presence before you depart | Bar to returning |
|---|---|
| More than 180 days but under 1 year | 3-year re-entry bar |
| One year or more | 10-year re-entry bar |
| Prior removal plus later unlawful entry (some cases) | Permanent bar; waiver rarely available |
The risks do not end with the bars. Leaving can also mean:
- Abandoning pending applications. Departure may be treated as giving up a pending asylum case, adjustment of status, or other relief you might not even realize you qualify for.
- Forfeiting defenses. Some people in removal proceedings have genuine defenses — cancellation of removal, asylum, or relief tied to U.S.-citizen family. A deportation defense review can surface options that are far from obvious.
- Triggering a permanent bar. Where there is a prior removal or repeated unlawful entries, leaving and then trying to return can create a permanent bar under the INA.
Self-deportation through the app is also not the same as court-ordered voluntary departure, which is a formal remedy an immigration judge grants under specific rules and deadlines. Do not assume the app gives you the protections, or the cleaner record, that a judge's grant of voluntary departure might provide.
What to Do Instead of Rushing
If you are weighing the CBP Home offer, slow down. The stipend is engineered to make a fast decision feel attractive, but immigration consequences are measured in years, not dollars. Write out your full immigration history, gather your documents, and get a professional evaluation of whether you have any pending or available relief. Many people who are convinced they have "no options" turn out to have several, from family-based petitions to protection-based claims. A short consultation is far cheaper than a decade locked out of the country.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CBP Home app?
CBP Home is a DHS mobile application, rebranded from the former CBP One app, that people without lawful status can use to declare an intent to depart and self-deport. It is the main tool for the government's Project Homecoming initiative and is used to submit identity information and later confirm that a person has left the United States.
Do I actually receive money for self-deporting?
DHS advertises a stipend — originally announced at $1,000 — plus travel assistance, paid after your departure is confirmed through the app. Reported amounts have changed over time, so verify the current figure with official DHS sources. A payment does not erase re-entry bars or other legal consequences, which can far outweigh the cash.
Will leaving through the app stop me from returning legally?
It can. Departing after more than 180 days of unlawful presence triggers a three-year bar, and a year or more triggers a ten-year bar under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Leaving may also abandon pending applications or defenses. Always consult an immigration attorney before using the CBP Home app.
Last verified: July 2026 · Reviewed by the USImmigrationLaw.Today editorial team.