Feeling hopeless in custody, many drop claims to remain in the US, leave voluntarily

Feeling hopeless in custody, many drop claims to remain in US, leave voluntarily

Immigration officers are detaining individuals, denying them bond and leading to deteriorating health and emotional distress. Many are forced to leave the US voluntarily to avoid formal deportation. This trend is accelerating under the Trump administration's policies. The number of voluntary departures has significantly increased. The administration is also offering incentives for people to leave the country.

Meet a 62-year-old Washington state farmworker who chose self-deportation to Mexico after raising 4 children and 10 grandchildren in the U.S.

Ramón Rodriguez Vazquez was a farmworker for 16 years in southeast Washington state, where he and his wife of 40 years raised four children and 10 grandchildren. The 62-year-old was a part of a tight-knit community and never committed a crime. On Feb. 5, immigration officers who came to his house looking for someone else took him into custody. He was denied bond, despite letters of support from friends, family, his employer and a physician who s…

Feeling hopeless in custody, many drop claims to remain in the US, leave voluntarily

His health declined at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Tacoma, Washington..