80,000 Voluntary Departure Orders Issued Under Trump

Immigration judges have issued more than 80,000 voluntary departure orders to migrants in U.S. courts from January 2025 through March 2026, a sharp increase linked to stricter detention policies under President Donald Trump's second administration.

The figure, drawn from court data obtained by the Vera Institute of Justice, marks at least a sevenfold rise compared to the final 15 months of the Biden administration, when about 11,400 migrants chose that option. Voluntary departure allows individuals to leave the country without a formal removal order, forgoing claims such as asylum but potentially preserving future opportunities for legal reentry. More than 70 percent of those granted the orders during Trump's term were held in immigration detention at the time of their request, a higher proportion than under the prior administration.

The surge coincides with policy changes that limit bond hearings and releases for migrants detained after illegal entry. Monthly orders averaged around 750 during the latter half of the Biden administration but climbed steadily after Trump took office, reaching over 9,000 in March 2026 alone. Officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement have...