The number of immigrants choosing to leave the U.S. after dropping their asylum claims has surged dramatically, reportedly increasing at least sevenfold during President Trump’s administration. While the government sees this jump as a win for law enforcement, some critics argue that it highlights a troubling trend in detention practices.
Data from the Vera Institute of Justice reveals that U.S. immigration judges issued over 80,000 “voluntary departure” orders from January 2025 to March 2026. This marks a staggering rise of more than 600% compared to the roughly 11,400 orders issued in the last 15 months of President Biden’s term.
Interestingly, the trend seems to be accelerating. For instance, in July alone, 6,370 people received voluntary departure orders, while March saw that number exceed 9,000.
In contrast, during the latter half of Biden’s presidency, only about 750 people opted for voluntary departure each month.
It’s still uncertain how many of those departing will be eligible for the “return home” program that Trump has promoted. This program allows migrants to voluntarily surrender via a Department of Homeland Security app in exchange for financial incentives and a flight back to their country.
Voluntary departure is essentially an order given by judges to immigrants who opt not to seek asylum. It’s historically been a choice for those who lack realistic chances of being granted asylum.
Those who choose to leave voluntarily won’t receive formal deportation orders, which might make it easier for them to return to the U.S. if they desire so. However, they generally cannot have significant criminal records and are responsible for their own travel expenses.
Advocates point out that more than 70% of the 80,000 individuals who opted for this route under Trump were released from detention centers, indicating that many immigrants are deliberately avoiding such facilities.
Shayna Kessler, the director of the Vera Institute, mentioned that “People are taking advantage of this measure because they are trying to get out of custody faster and they can’t find a path that might help them out.”
On the other hand, the Trump administration argues that these voluntary departure statistics underscore the effectiveness of its strict immigration policies, which were a key aspect of Trump’s campaign promises.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security stated, “Biden and [then-Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas] recklessly released millions of uninvestigated illegal aliens into American society and exploited numerous loopholes to do so.” They continued, emphasizing that, “President Trump and Secretary Marin are now enforcing this law that was actually written to keep America safe.”
