Trump Offers To Pay Kenyans & Other Immigrants Ksh 129,000 To Leave US

United States (US) President Donald Trump's administration announced on Monday, May 5 that it offered $1,000 (Ksh 129,100) to undocumented immigrants in the American country who agree to voluntarily return to their home country.

This is part of a new strategy to lower the number of undocumented immigrants without relying on arrests or forced deportations.

This move is expected to impact, among them, thousands of undocumented Kenyans and other African nationals living in the U.S. The government has also pledged to assist with booking flights and will issue the payment once individuals confirm their return.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that some migrants have already accepted the offer, including one person who flew back to Honduras from Chicago.

Photo of a border preclearance area in the United States. /WIKIPEDIA

How to Apply

To take part, migrants must use the U.S. government’s CBP Home app to indicate they plan to self-deport. The app, previously used to manage legal entry under the Biden administration, now facilitates this voluntary exit process.

Once departure is verified, participants will receive the equivalent of Ksh 129,100 along with travel assistance. Those who opt in through the app will also be deprioritised for ICE arrest and detention, as long as they show they’re actively working toward leaving.

“If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest,” Secretary Kristi Noem said. “DHS is now offering illegal aliens financial travel assistance and a stipend to return to their home country through the CBP Home App.”

Trump made cracking down on illegal immigration a major part of his campaign, and he is sticking to that promise early in his second presidency. However, mass deportations are expensive and require a lot of resources.

Officials say deporting one undocumented immigrant through arrest and detention costs more than Ksh2.2 million (about $17,121), making the voluntary return program, with its cash incentive and flight support, a much cheaper option.

While his administration is asking Congress to pump major funds into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to ramp up deportations, it is also encouraging undocumented immigrants to voluntarily leave the U.S.—a strategy known as self-deportation.

This push has been backed by TV advertisements warning of enforcement action and social media posts showing arrests and migrants being sent to detention facilities, including in El Salvador.

The Trump team has framed self-deportation as a way for migrants to potentially return legally in the future. On Monday, Trump told reporters that those who leave on their own might be allowed back one day—if they're “good people” and “love our country.” “And if they aren’t, they won’t,” Trump said. However, the U.S. visa system remains tough to navigate, especially for those without jobs, family connections, or financial backing in the U.S.

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the pro-immigrant American Immigration Council, warned that migrants should be careful about Homeland Security’s new self-deportation offer.

He explained that leaving the U.S. without fighting your case, especially if you’re already in deportation proceedings, can seriously backfire. Skipping immigration court can lead to an automatic deportation order, and voluntarily leaving the country often means giving up any pending applications for legal relief, like asylum.

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin noted that the Trump administration has already recorded “thousands” of self-deportations. At the same time, Trump’s team has warned that undocumented immigrants who don’t register with the government could face prosecution, fines, or jail. 

They have also expanded the scope of who ICE can go after, abandoning the Biden-era rules that focused mostly on serious criminals, national security threats, and recent border crossers.