Through a newly launched mobile app and an extensive advertising initiative, the Department of Homeland Security is intensifying its campaign to persuade undocumented immigrants to voluntarily leave the country.
These actions come at a time when deportation numbers have not met the expectations set by President Donald Trump during the early months of his presidency, despite making this a cornerstone of his campaign.
This week, the Trump administration reintroduced the app formerly known as CBP One, this time under the name CBP Home and with a new focus. Previously, under President Biden, the app facilitated legal asylum applications for migrants seeking entry into the U.S.
Now, DHS has announced that the relaunched CBP Home app features “a self-deportation reporting tool,” promoting self-deportation as “the safest choice” for undocumented immigrants while “conserving law enforcement resources.”
The rebranding of the app is part of a broader government messaging strategy, which includes advertisements featuring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, encouraging undocumented individuals to voluntarily depart the U.S. According to DHS, these initiatives are backed by a budget of $200 million.
The domestic ad campaign opens with Noem expressing gratitude to Trump for his strict immigration policies. She asserts: “President Trump has a definitive message for anyone living here illegally. Leave now. If you don’t, we will locate you and deport you. You will not come back.” Noem concludes the ad by stating: “The choice is yours. America opens its doors to those who abide by our laws. A robust nation is a secure nation.”
Currently, this advertisement has been aired by TV stations in various regions, including parts of New Jersey, New York, California, and Florida, as well as cities like Phoenix, Boston, Dallas, Philadelphia, and Washington.
DHS has also produced an international version of the ad, which discourages illegal entry into the U.S.
The Associated Press reported that two firms associated with the Republican Party were awarded contracts to oversee the messaging campaign.
In a statement, Noem emphasized that immigrants who choose to self-deport “may still have the chance to return legally in the future and pursue the American dream. If they do not, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will not come back.”
Experts and advocates have raised concerns regarding Noem’s message about self-deportation and the potential for future legal re-entry into the U.S.
Kathleen Bush-Joseph, a policy analyst with the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at the Migration Policy Institute, remarked to NBC News, “The key word in that statement from the secretary is ‘may.’” She elaborated that the implications of voluntary removal can vary considerably depending on individual circumstances, like “having accrued unlawful presence” or receiving a deportation order, which can impact one’s ability to re-enter the U.S. legally.
Heidi Altman, the vice president of policy at the National Immigration Law Center, noted in an email, “For many individuals who exit the United States, there might never be a lawful route for return, and re-entry can be restricted for many years.” She added, “Coercing individuals to leave their homes and families poses political, moral, and economic implications — the administration should feel ashamed.”
With Trump also discontinuing numerous legal immigration programs, including the original CBP One app, refugee programs, and Temporary Protected Status, advocate Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet pointed out that individuals previously in the U.S. legally may find themselves more exposed to Trump’s latest enforcement measures as they lose their legal protections.
In light of Trump’s intention to execute what he describes as “the largest deportation program in American history,” Sousa-Lazaballet issued a caution against using self-deportations as a means to alleviate the logistical challenges of identifying and removing an estimated 11 million undocumented individuals in the U.S.
“This is described as enforcement by attrition. The concept is to make living conditions so challenging that individuals voluntarily depart,” Sousa-Lazaballet explained to NBC News.
He characterized the messaging of the ad as an effort to convince people that “they have no safety net and that their only option is to leave — we have constitutional rights in this country, regardless of our immigration status.”
Bree Bernwanger, a senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California, affirmed that “even those living in the United States without status have the right under federal law to contest their deportation in immigration court, before a judge.”
Bernwanger cautioned that one consequence of accepting voluntary departure — an available legal option allowing noncitizens to exit the U.S. instead of being formally deported — is that “it can preclude your ability to re-enter the United States, even if there is a legitimate basis for re-entry.”
However, for an administration eager to showcase its deportation initiatives, the new app could become a tool for tracking self-deportations, which are often difficult to quantify, according to Bush-Joseph.
Bush-Joseph noted that while data on voluntary departures and returns is available, usually occurring at the border, there is a lack of data concerning undocumented immigrants who are not involved in formal removal proceedings and choose to leave the country.
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