The US government is offering undocumented migrants $1,000 and free transportation if they voluntarily leave the country.

"Self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest," said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during an announcement on Monday.

President Donald Trump, who returned to office in January, told reporters that those who opt in might eventually be granted a legal opportunity to re-enter the US, reports BBC.

Since taking office, Trump has escalated a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration, at times invoking controversial strategies, including the use of an archaic wartime law.

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Several of these measures are now being contested in court.

According to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) statement, migrants who accept the offer will not be targeted for detention by immigration authorities. The department reported that the first participant, referred to as an "illegal alien," had already flown from Chicago to Honduras.

Officials said the initiative requires participants to use the CBP Home app, which helps verify their return to their country of origin. They described the program as a "dignified" option, noting it could significantly reduce deportation expenses, which currently exceed $17,000 per person.

Trump emphasized the broader implications of the program, saying, "We're going to work with them so that maybe someday, with a little work, they can come back in if they're good people, if they're the kind of people that we want in our [country]."

However, the proposal has sparked backlash. Democratic Congressman Adriano Espaillat, a Dominican-American, posted on X, "We don't bribe people to leave. We build a country where everyone belongs."

Trump and his allies have pointed to recent immigration figures to defend their policies, noting a decline in illegal border crossings. Border Patrol data revealed a record low of just over 7,000 arrests at the US-Mexico border in March.

The administration has also highlighted increased detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as evidence of progress. Still, deportation numbers have yet to meet expectations, and courts have halted Trump’s efforts to eliminate birthright citizenship for some children.