President Donald Trump’s strategy to incentivize undocumented immigrants to leave the US mirrors successful policies seen in several European nations like Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.
On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed plans to utilize the CBP Home Mobile app to allow undocumented individuals to self-report their departure from the US.
A DHS press release noted, “Even with the expenses involved in scholarships, the adoption of CBP homes could reduce deportation costs by approximately 70%.” Currently, the average expense for arresting, detaining, and removing undocumented immigrants stands at $17,121.
These kinds of policies have been in practice in various European countries, notably Germany, which experienced a surge in illegal immigration during Angela Merkel’s tenure as Prime Minister.
At the end of last year, it was disclosed that this approach resulted in over 8,000 migrants returning to their home countries within a span of ten months.
In Sweden, asylum applications saw a decline last year, as Scandinavian countries offered financial incentives to encourage voluntary repatriation, with plans to enhance these payments moving forward.
Moreover, Denmark’s financial support for immigrants willing to leave has led to a significantly lower number of asylum seekers, with only 2,100 individuals applying for asylum in 2023.
Norway also employs a “subsidized return” policy, recording just 5,000 asylum applications in 2024.
However, Trump’s initiative to offer financial assistance for self-reporting may lead to higher costs for American taxpayers than the annual expenditures associated with illegal immigration.
Currently, the estimated financial burden of the 11 to 22 million undocumented immigrants on American taxpayers is around $150 billion per year. This figure excludes losses from low wages, unpaid medical bills, and public education services that Americans bear due to illegal immigration.
