As immigration enforcement intensifies under the Trump administration, a growing number of migrants facing removal proceedings are choosing to voluntarily leave the United States rather than continue fighting their cases in court, according to recent federal data and immigration advocates.
A report released this month by the Vera Institute of Justice found that voluntary departures in immigration courts have surged nationwide, climbing from roughly 800 per month near the end of the Biden administration to more than 8,800 per month by February 2026.
The increase comes as the administration expands efforts encouraging migrants living in the country illegally to leave on their own through a program known as “self-deportation,” which includes financial incentives and a revamped government mobile application called CBP Home.
Voluntary departure is a legal process in which an immigrant agrees to leave the country without receiving a formal removal order from an immigration judge. Immigration attorneys say it can sometimes preserve a migrant’s ability to legally return to the United States in the future, unlike deportation orders that often carry lengthy reentry bans.
The Department of Homeland Security has promoted the policy as a less costly alternative to arrest, detention and deportation. The agency says migrants who voluntarily depart through the CBP Home program may qualify for government-funded travel assistance and cash stipends upon confirmation they have left the country.
The CBP Home app was previously known as CBP One during the Biden administration, when it was used to schedule asylum appointments at ports of entry along the southern border. After President Donald Trump returned to office, the administration shut down the asylum appointment system and repurposed the app to allow migrants to notify federal authorities of their intent to leave the country voluntarily.
Immigration advocates and legal aid organizations, however, argue that many migrants are making the decision under mounting pressure from prolonged detention, changing asylum standards and reduced odds of prevailing in immigration court.
“This is widespread across the United States,” Jacquelyn Pavilon, one of the Vera Institute report’s authors, told ABC News. She said the increase in voluntary departure decisions has occurred in most states and territories since the administration’s policy changes took effect.
Pavilon said the growing numbers do not necessarily indicate migrants no longer have viable legal claims to remain in the country.
“Many of those people may have legal avenues to remain in the United States,” she said.
Advocacy groups have also raised concerns about reports that some detainees feel pressured to abandon their cases after extended periods in federal custody. The National Immigration Law Center said some migrants in detention have reported being told they could face indefinite detention if they refuse voluntary departure agreements, though the organization says migrants still retain the right to continue contesting their cases.
The Trump administration has defended the program as part of a broader effort to reduce illegal immigration and speed removals while lowering taxpayer costs. Homeland Security officials have argued that voluntary departures are significantly cheaper than formal deportation proceedings and detention operations.
The rise in voluntary departures comes as the Trump administration continues expanding immigration enforcement efforts nationwide, including increased detention operations, faster case processing and renewed pressure on migrants who are in the country illegally to either pursue legal status through the courts or leave voluntarily. Administration officials have said the policies are intended to reduce strain on the immigration system and discourage unlawful border crossings.
