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The phenomenon of migrants opting to abandon their asylum applications and choosing to exit the United States voluntarily has surged significantly under President Trump’s administration. While the government hails this as a triumph for upholding legal frameworks, detractors argue it underscores increasingly harsh detention policies.
From January 2025 to March 2026, over 80,000 “voluntary departure” orders were issued by U.S. immigration judges. This marks a staggering increase of over 600% compared to the 11,400 orders during the final 15 months of former President Joe Biden’s administration, as reported by the Vera Institute of Justice and highlighted by the Washington Post.
The trend appears to be accelerating, with 6,370 migrants opting for voluntary departure in July, a number that climbed to over 9,000 by March, according to the data. For context, during the latter half of Biden’s presidency, the monthly average of voluntary departures was around 750.
While exact figures remain elusive, it’s unclear how many of these voluntary departures are linked to President Trump’s “self-deportation” initiative. This program encourages migrants to surrender through a Department of Homeland Security app, offering them a cash incentive and a complimentary flight back to their home country.
It remains unclear how many of those numbers fall under the “self deportation” option President Trump has been pushing, which allows migrants to turn themselves in via a Department of Homeland Security app in return for a cash stipend and free flight home.
Voluntary departures are orders granted by a judge to immigrants who have decided not to pursue their asylum case and have historically been an option for people who aren’t expected to be granted asylum.
People who choose voluntary departure are not issued formal deportation orders, which makes it much easier to return to the US and try their hand at the immigration system at a later date.
Immigrants can’t have a serious criminal record to qualify, and generally must leave the country at their own expense.
However, over 70% of the 80,000 who have taken the option under Trump have done so from within detention facilities, prompting advocates to argue that migrants are taking the option simply to stay out of the holding facilities.
“People are taking it because they’re trying to get out of detention more quickly, because they don’t see any possible avenues for relief for themselves,” Shayna Kessler, a Vera Institute director, told the Washington Post.
The Trump administration, meanwhile, has insisted the voluntary departure stats prove that its crackdown on illegal immigration — a key promise the president made on the campaign trail — is working.
“Biden and [then-Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas] recklessly unleashed millions of unvetted illegal aliens into American communities – and they abused many loopholes to do so,” a DHS spokesperson told the Washington Post in a statement.
“President Trump and Secretary Mullin are now enforcing this law as it was actually written to keep America safe.”