Fact check: How many illegal migrants have left voluntarily

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available data, the number of illegal migrants who have left voluntarily appears to be relatively limited. The most concrete figures show that 64 people took a government-funded flight to their home countries as part of the new self-deportation program, with 38 returning to Honduras and 26 to Colombia ^[1]. Additionally, more than 5,000 people had logged their return through CBP Home as of April 9 ^[2], though this represents registrations rather than confirmed departures.

In the formal immigration court system, 2,515 immigrants were given voluntary departure out of 68,016 Immigration Court deportation cases completed in May 2025 ^[3]. The American Immigration Lawyers Association has described the self-deportation ads as 'a deeply misleading and unethical trick' ^[4], suggesting significant skepticism within the legal community about the program's legitimacy and effectiveness.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks crucial context about the Trump administration's broader self-deportation campaign and its controversial nature. The program offers a $1,000 stipend and travel assistance through the CBP Home App ^[2], but experts warn that the promised incentives may not be guaranteed and participants may face potential reentry barriers and consequences for missed court dates ^{[5] [4]}.

Government officials and immigration enforcement agencies would benefit from portraying higher voluntary departure numbers as evidence of successful policy implementation. Conversely, immigration advocacy groups and lawyers benefit from highlighting the program's limitations and potential deceptions to protect their clients from making uninformed decisions.

The data also reveals that USCIS is assisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by providing volunteers to support its operations ^[6] and has initiated removal proceedings against 26,000 aliens since February ^[6], indicating a parallel enforcement strategy alongside voluntary programs.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question assumes that significant numbers of illegal migrants are leaving voluntarily, but the evidence suggests this may be overstated. The question lacks context about the distinction between formal voluntary departure through immigration courts versus the new self-deportation program.

The framing could mislead readers into believing voluntary departure is more common or successful than the data indicates. ICE removal data includes returns, such as voluntary returns and voluntary departures, but the data is not explicitly stated ^[7], making it difficult to provide comprehensive numbers.

The question also omits the skepticism from legal experts who characterize the program as potentially deceptive, and fails to mention that the Trump administration's self-deportation campaign has been met with skepticism ^[5] from immigration professionals who question both its ethics and effectiveness.