The United States’ Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday released a poster announcing an incentive of $2,600, or Rs 2.4 lakh, for undocumented migrants, including Indians, to “self-deport” from the country.

The poster features an illustration of the Taj Mahal, along with prominent landmarks of Colombia and China.

The department said that undocumented immigrants could use the Customs and Border Protection Home Mobile App to record their intention to voluntarily leave the US.

“You can go home with a fresh start,” the department said in a social media post that featured illustrations of India’s Taj Mahal and Colombia’s Cartagena Cathedral, and a composite illustration depicting Chinese architecture.

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The persons will receive a “free flight home and a $2,600 exit bonus” when they use CBP Home to record their intention to leave.

The department said that those who depart using this option will be exempted from paying fines for not leaving the US earlier. The programme allows undocumented immigrants to “return home as regular travellers – without arrest, detention or restraints,” it said on its website.

The Donald Trump administration had in March 2025 launched a rebranded CBP Home application to make it easier for undocumented immigrants to “self-deport”. An earlier version of the app, called CBP One, was used by the previous Joe Biden government to allow migrants to enter the US legally, Reuters reported.

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In May, the Department of Homeland Security said that the average cost of detaining and deporting individuals living in the US without legal status was about $17,000, according to the news agency.

Since Trump came to power for a second term in early 2025, his administration has launched a crackdown on immigration, and has carried out mass deportations.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has told Parliament that more than 3,000 Indians were deported from the US in 2025.

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