"Establishing Project Homecoming" proclamation encouraging self-deportation and increasing staffing for deportations
On May 9, 2025, President Trump signed Presidential Proclamation 10935, establishing “Project Homecoming,” along with a fact sheet that provides more details and explanation about the substance of the proclamation. The Project Homecoming proclamation directs the federal government to create a “streamlined” process for unauthorized immigrants to depart the United States by using the CBP Home app and provides flights to countries of origin that are paid for by the federal government. The Proclamation creates an “exit bonus as a financial incentive” for unauthorized immigrants “who agree to voluntarily and permanently depart the United States.” On May 5, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had announced that it would begin paying a $1000 pay travel stipend, to be paid after a migrant’s return to their home country has been confirmed through the CBP Home app. This proclamation appears to be the announcement and directive for that policy.
The proclamation also directs DHS and the Department of State to take action to facilitate the departure of unauthorized immigrants if they lack valid travel documents, and to create a “concierge service” at airports, to assist with booking travel and claiming the exit bonus/stipend. The agencies are also tasked with conducting a nationwide communications campaign to publicize the service and the exit bonus. The proclamation also directs DHS Secretary to increase staffing for its enforcement and removal operations by at least 20,000 officers, “by deputizing and contracting with State and local law enforcement officers, former Federal officers, officers and personnel within other Federal agencies, and other individuals.”
Impact: The proclamation raises numerous questions about implementation and funding that have yet to be answered. In particular, the proclamation calls for a massive increase in the number of immigration enforcement agents. At present, there are roughly 6,000 officers at Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) which are focused on deportation efforts. Increasing staffing levels to 20,000 would be an increase of 233%, which means accomplishing this would require new funds from Congress, along with shifting staff from other agencies to work with and for ICE. There is also no mention of where funds would come from for the “exit bonus” and flight payments, and the staffing and administration for the concierge service at airports to facilitate travel. Whether immigrants in the United States would be enticed by this bonus is an open question, since it would be difficult to hold the U.S. government accountable if they failed to make the payment after departure.
https://www.epi.org/policywatch/establishing-project-homecoming-proclamation-encouraging-self-deportation-and-increasing-staffing-for-deportations/
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