Voluntary departure is a euphemism for voluntary deportation. Although an individual may avoid the stigma of an order of removal if they are granted voluntary deportation by attesting to their willingness to leave the United States within a set number of days (a maximum of 120 days) and by paying for their own way home to their native country, make no mistake about it, the individual MUST LEAVE the United States, and there is nothing voluntary about it.

If a person fails to depart the United States under a grant of voluntary departure the order automatically converts into an order of removal, they are subject to being taken into custody, held without bond as a flight risk, and are then forcibly removed from the United States. Moreover, if the person fails to depart the United States as required they are further barred from obtaining relief from removal should their circumstances change at some point in the future.

In the vast majority of cases when an individual departs the United States under a grant of voluntary deportation they automatically trigger a ten-year bar. The underlying order of removal also carries with it a ten year bar. Either way the individual MUST LEAVE the United States, and may not return to the Country for ten years. So in essence they must choose between a sharp stick in the eye, or a swift kick in the gut.

Do not let the Obama administration spin their record of mass deportations. Obama is deporting people in record numbers, and my inside sources have told me that a temporary unofficial moratorium on the apprehension of non-criminal aliens has been lifted by our President. As the saying goes you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet.

Increased deportations, huh? That puts into context me hearing on the radio news show about a flight leaving Minneapolis/St. Paul once a week for Mexico for deportations. Guess ICE is actually using all those flights.

Tangent:
The other day I pondered the fact that when I moved states, there were restrictions on my benefits from the state for a certain amount of time of “being new here,” but no restrictions on my right to move to the state–and time limits on all those benefits restrictions. (e.g. a certain amount of residency time to get in-state tuition at government-funded schools)

I had an “aha” moment where I kind of realized what a world with administrative borders, but without restrictions on movement, could potentially take shape as. That I was already familiar with one model that exists.

But I guess for now, weekly deportation flights to Mexico from Minnesota.

[...] We all know the federal government has been enforcing immigration laws, since we have seen detentions and deportations go up under Obama. [...]