Challenges and Issues in DHS's Project Homecoming Voluntary Departure Program
Project Homecoming was launched in May 2025 by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under a proclamation from former President Trump. The program offers a $1,000 exit bonus and a free flight for migrants who voluntarily depart the United States. The funding for this initiative comes from a repurposed $250 million originally allocated for refugee resettlement.
Despite these incentives, numerous reports have highlighted problems with the distribution of the $1,000 payments. Many migrants who signed up for the program did not receive the payment, with delays, misdirection, and outright failures in sending the funds. Some transfers were sent to incorrect recipients or went uncollected due to identification or name mismatches. Other cases involved migrants who were never properly registered for the program but still faced difficulties related to payment.
A small number of migrants did ultimately receive the promised payment, often only after investigators intervened with the payment processor. The company Soterex Financial Services LLC was responsible for handling some of these transfers. Several payments expired or required resending due to incorrect name information.
The program relies on the CBP Home app for migrants to apply for voluntary departure. However, information provided to migrants through this system was sometimes misleading or unclear. Moreover, participating in Project Homecoming can trigger five-year or lifetime bans on returning to the United States, a significant deterrent for some potential participants.
Detention practices by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have also influenced the program's uptake. Migrants often experienced lengthy pre-departure detentions, with the average CBP detention period increasing to approximately 109 days by August 2025, exceeding previous durations.
The contracting and payment arrangements for Project Homecoming involve entities such as Soterex and related companies. William Walters, a former State Department official, is connected to Soterex and Salus Worldwide Solutions, the latter having received a $915 million federal contract for voluntary self-deportation services. This contract has been disputed in court. Efforts to obtain responses from Soterex and Salus Worldwide Solutions regarding these issues went unanswered.
