An investigative report published December 18 by The Guardian and The Lens found that hundreds of undocumented migrants who accepted DHS’s “Project Homecoming” offer of $1,000 cash and a free flight to leave the United States never received the promised incentive. Interviews with participants from Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala revealed payment cards that expired before activation, funds misdirected to unrelated accounts and bureaucratic dead ends when migrants tried to claim the money from the program’s contractor, Soterex Financial Services.
Project Homecoming, launched in 2024 and expanded by the Trump administration in mid-2025, aims to cut deportation-flight costs by persuading migrants to depart voluntarily. DHS has spent roughly $200 million on television and social-media ads promoting the scheme and transferred $250 million from refugee-resettlement funds to pay incentives. Yet advocates say the opaque rules and lack of oversight leave migrants with empty promises while barring them from legally returning for at least five years.
The investigation links Soterex to a former State Department official who secured a $915 million no-bid contract to manage payments and logistics. Immigration attorneys argue that the arrangement skirts federal procurement rules and may violate the Anti-Deficiency Act.
![Investigation Reveals Migrants Short-Changed in DHS ‘Project Homecoming’ Self-Deportation Scheme]()
Businesses and migrants seeking clear, lawful alternatives to contentious programs like Project Homecoming can turn to VisaHQ, which offers streamlined, expert assistance for obtaining U.S. work, travel and residence visas. With real-time application tracking and dedicated support, VisaHQ helps applicants avoid bureaucratic pitfalls and ensures employers stay compliant with evolving immigration rules. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/.
For U.S. companies that rely on seasonal labor, the revelations raise reputational risks: some migrants who self-deported had been eligible for future H-2 visas but are now barred. Employers should verify the status of departing workers and consult counsel before suggesting voluntary return programs.
Congressional Democrats demanded a Government Accountability Office audit within hours of publication, while DHS said it is “reviewing contractor performance.” Business-immigration groups are urging DHS to pause new enrollments until payment failures are resolved, warning that distrust could push migrants toward unauthorized re-entry routes and exacerbate labor shortages.
Project Homecoming, launched in 2024 and expanded by the Trump administration in mid-2025, aims to cut deportation-flight costs by persuading migrants to depart voluntarily. DHS has spent roughly $200 million on television and social-media ads promoting the scheme and transferred $250 million from refugee-resettlement funds to pay incentives. Yet advocates say the opaque rules and lack of oversight leave migrants with empty promises while barring them from legally returning for at least five years.
The investigation links Soterex to a former State Department official who secured a $915 million no-bid contract to manage payments and logistics. Immigration attorneys argue that the arrangement skirts federal procurement rules and may violate the Anti-Deficiency Act.
Businesses and migrants seeking clear, lawful alternatives to contentious programs like Project Homecoming can turn to VisaHQ, which offers streamlined, expert assistance for obtaining U.S. work, travel and residence visas. With real-time application tracking and dedicated support, VisaHQ helps applicants avoid bureaucratic pitfalls and ensures employers stay compliant with evolving immigration rules. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/.
For U.S. companies that rely on seasonal labor, the revelations raise reputational risks: some migrants who self-deported had been eligible for future H-2 visas but are now barred. Employers should verify the status of departing workers and consult counsel before suggesting voluntary return programs.
Congressional Democrats demanded a Government Accountability Office audit within hours of publication, while DHS said it is “reviewing contractor performance.” Business-immigration groups are urging DHS to pause new enrollments until payment failures are resolved, warning that distrust could push migrants toward unauthorized re-entry routes and exacerbate labor shortages.
