Report: Immigrants Are Voluntarily Leaving US in Record Numbers Under Trump
Immigrants in U.S.immigration court are increasingly choosing “voluntary departure,” according to federal data discussed in a Vera Institute of Justice report. The article says this trend has accelerated as the presidential governance changed, especially for people held in detention, with voluntary departure rising sharply alongside increases in removal orders. It cites figures growing from roughly 800 voluntary departure decisions per month in late 2024 to about 8,800 per month by February.
The report’s co-author argues that voluntary departure does not necessarily end people’s legal options, noting that decisions are often made under harsh conditions.The article connects these developments to the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement agenda, including large-scale deportation operations and tighter treatment of certain legal immigration and asylum-related cases.
It further describes efforts to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS), including references to actions involving Somali TPS in Minnesota and Supreme Court litigation affecting TPS for Venezuelans. The article says the Supreme Court is also considering TPS changes for haitians and Syrians, with a ruling expected soon, which it argues could result in many people losing their status.
Immigrants are voluntarily heading home in record numbers, according to federal data, as the Trump administration continues to push major immigration reforms.
A May report from the Vera Institute of Justice examined federal statistics and found that “the number of people in removal proceedings who received a decision of voluntary departure has risen dramatically since the change in presidential administration — particularly among people who were detained.”
It went on to reveal that “increases in voluntary departure decisions are happening alongside increases in orders of removal. The percentage and number of detained cases ending in voluntary departure or an order of removal have increased since the end of the Biden administration.”
Jacquelyn Pavilon, who co-authored the report, spoke with ABC News last week about the recent trend.
“This is widespread across the United States,” she said. “In three-quarters of U.S. states and territories, the number of voluntary departure decisions increased more than fivefold since the end of Biden’s term.”
The numbers have jumped from about 800 per month in late 2024 to 8,800 per month in February of this year.
“Many of those people may have legal avenues to remain in the United States,” Pavilon declared. “Voluntary departure decisions do not mean that you do not have legal rights to remain. People are under harsh conditions and making very difficult decisions.”
She also said the Trump administration has been “leveraging a wide range of strategies to carry out its mass deportation agenda.”
Immigration has been one of Trump’s top agenda items since he first ran for president in 2015, and his efforts seem to be having a major effect.
He has ordered large-scale deportation operations across the country, imposed stricter criteria for legal immigrants, and set his sights on defunding sanctuary cities.
The commander in chief has also targeted those who have fraudulently claimed asylum in the U.S. and is attempting to end temporary protective status for various groups.
Trump specifically cited Minnesota late last year, writing on that, “Minnesota, under Governor Waltz, is a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity. I am, as President of the United States, hereby terminating, effective immediately, the Temporary Protected Status (TPS Program) for Somalis in Minnesota.”
“Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing. Send them back to where they came from. It’s OVER!”
Despite the fact that a federal district judge extended the pause on the termination of Somalia’s TPS designation earlier this month, it can still be taken away, depending on the outcome of similar cases that are still pending.
In October 2025, the administration scored a huge legal victory when the Supreme Court granted an emergency request to end Temporary Protected Status for over 300,000 Venezuelan aliens in the United States, according to a Homeland Security news release.
In the 6-3 decision, the justices blocked a ruling “by activist U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in the Northern District of California, who tried to pause the TPS cancellation once in March and then again in September — ultimately getting reversed by the Supreme Court twice,” the release continued.
“President Trump is restoring America’s immigration system so that it actually benefits the U.S. citizen and today’s Supreme Court victory is a win for the American people and common sense,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
“The American people should not have had to go to the Supreme Court twice to see justice done. Temporary Protected Status was always supposed to be just that: Temporary. Yet, previous administrations abused, exploited, and mangled TPS into a de facto amnesty program.”
The Supreme Court is also currently reviewing the Trump administration’s efforts to end TPS programs for Haitians and Syrians, with a final ruling expected by late June or early July.
In April, CNN reported the high court is likely to side with Trump, which could result in millions of foreign nationals being stripped of their status and potentially deported.
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