You may have seen or heard recent messages from the U.S. government saying that immigrants should “self-deport.” For example, some people have received this flyer called “A Warning to Self-Deport.”
The government’s messages encourage immigrants to use the mobile app CBP Home (formerly “CBP One”) to report that they plan to leave the U.S., and then leave the U.S. on their own. But some of the information that the government is providing about “self-deportation” may be incorrect depending on your situation. Here are some things to know.
Many people who receive the self deportation flyer or messages are not required to leave the United States.
If you have an open case in immigration court, you are not required to leave the U.S.
If you have an open case in immigration court, you are not required to leave the U.S. unless or until the immigration judge gives you a deportation (removal) order.
If you have applied for asylum or another immigration status in immigration court, you have the right to present your case.
To check the status of your immigration court case, call the immigration court hotline at 1-800-898-7180 or go to this immigration court website.
Please note: ICE has started trying to close immigration cases and detain immigrants immediately after immigration court hearings, especially if they have been in the U.S. for less than 2 years.
If you are applying for asylum with USCIS, you are not required to leave the U.S.
If you applied for asylum with USCIS and your asylum application is still pending, you are not required to leave the U.S.
You have the right to present your case for asylum.
If you have an active immigration status, you are not required to leave the U.S.
If you have immigration status in the U.S. and your status has not expired or ended, you are not required to leave the U.S.
For example, this could include TPS, asylum, permanent residence, or remaining authorized time on a visa.
If you have a pending immigration application with USCIS that is not asylum, whether you can be required to leave the U.S. depends on your situation.
Some pending immigration applications provide protection from deportation and others do not.
You may want to talk to an immigration lawyer about your options.
“Self deporting” will probably not make it easier to return to the U.S. in the future.
As of June 2025, there is no special new process for people who self-deport to legally return to the United States. Many people who leave the United States could find it very difficult to legally return in the future, depending on their situation.
For example, it could be difficult to return if you have a criminal conviction, if the government believes that you provided false information on an immigration application, or if you lived in the U.S. as an adult for longer than 6 months without a legal status or pending asylum application. In some cases, it may be possible to get a “waiver” to return, but this can be very difficult and expensive. Learn more here.
Also, if a judge orders your deportation in immigration court, you generally must wait at least 10 years before you can apply to return legally to the United States. If you leave the U.S. while you still have an open immigration court case, a judge will likely give you a deportation order for missing your next hearing. If you have an immigration court case, another option is to request “voluntary departure.” Voluntary departure can sometimes make it easier to come back to the U.S. in the future. But the details depend on your specific case. You can learn more about voluntary departure here and here, and you may want to talk about your options with a lawyer.
Other information that the government is sharing is hard to verify at this time.
Fines: Some government messages mention a $998 per day fine for remaining in the United States. But generally, the government can only charge this fine if you failed to leave the United States after a judge has given you a final deportation order or Voluntary Departure.
“Jail time”: Some messages mention “imprisonment” and “jail time.” ICE can try to detain you while you are seeking asylum. Learn more about immigration detention.
Flight costs and payments: Some messages talk about possible subsidized flights to leave the U.S. and payment of $1,000 after you leave the U.S., but there is little information yet about how that is functioning.
Learn more
If you want to leave the United States, you can read about things to consider before leaving here.
You may want to talk to an immigration lawyer in your area.
ASAP aims to provide factual information about current immigration laws. This information is not legal advice.