The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has successfully launched the first “Project Homecoming” flight, sending 64 illegal aliens back to their countries with $1,000 each.
This inaugural flight, part of President Trump’s promise to combat America’s immigration crisis, demonstrates that the administration’s border enforcement strategy is already showing results.
The charter flight departed from Houston over the weekend, carrying illegal aliens who had voluntarily chosen to return to their home countries.
The airplane transported 38 aliens to Honduras and 26 to Colombia, with each receiving a $1,000 stipend as part of the self-deportation program.
This initiative allows illegal aliens to leave the country on their own terms while receiving financial assistance.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the successful completion of this first flight, emphasizing the program’s purpose of encouraging those people to depart willingly or face consequences.
“Today, DHS conducted its first Project Homecoming charter flight of 64 individuals who voluntarily chose to self-deport to their home counties of Honduras and Colombia,” Noem said.
The flight fulfills President Trump’s proclamation to create pathways for illegal aliens to return home while enforcing immigration laws.
“If you are here illegally, use the CBP Home App to take control of your departure and receive financial support to return home,” Noem added. “If you don’t, you will be subjected to fines, arrest, deportation and will never be allowed to return.”
The program uses the CBP Home app, a repurposed version of the Biden administration’s CBP One app that previously scheduled asylum hearings.
The Trump administration smartly transformed this technology into a tool for proactively addressing the immigration crisis.
Immigrants who use the app can arrange their voluntary departure and potentially maintain eligibility for legal entry in the future.
The Trump administration’s approach offers significant benefits beyond the $1,000 stipend to illegals.
Participants who landed in Honduras received additional assistance from their government, including $100 and food vouchers through the “Hermano, Hermana, Vuelve a Casa” (Brother, Sister, Come Home) program.
These returnees were welcomed by their families and government officials at the Center for Attention to Returned Migrants in San Pedro Sula.
Similarly, Colombian returnees received support from their country’s Family Welfare Institute and Department of Social Prosperity.
Despite the program’s evident benefits, immigration activists have criticized the initiative.
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) warned migrants against accepting the assistance without legal counsel, claiming the government is not fully explaining potential consequences.
This response highlights how immigration activists often prefer to keep illegal aliens in legal limbo rather than supporting orderly, humane solutions.
“It is unethical for the government to tell people ‘Self-Deportation Is Safe’ but not explain the hardship and legal risks to them, especially for people who do not have an attorney and will not know their rights under the law,” AILA claimed.
Moreover, the Trump administration’s Project Homecoming represents a pragmatic approach to immigration enforcement that respects both American sovereignty and the dignity of migrants who entered illegally.
By providing financial assistance for voluntary returns while maintaining firm consequences for those who refuse to comply, the program balances compassion with the rule of law—a marked departure from the previous administration’s border chaos.
With this successful first flight, the administration has showcased its commitment to meaningful immigration reform.
As more flights take place, America may finally see real progress in addressing the border crisis that has burdened communities across the nation.
