What is “voluntary departure” in an immigration court?

Voluntary departure is a form of relief available to immigrants who are in deportation proceedings in an immigration court. It is an alternative to formal removal or deportation orders where an immigrant agrees to leave the United States voluntarily. Voluntary departure is typically offered when an immigrant is found guilty of an immigration violation, or when they are unable to remain in the U.S. due to out-of-status or undocumented status. It allows the individual to leave the U.S. without a formal removal or deportation order. This means they can avoid the negative effects of a deportation order, such as a bar from ever re-entering the U.S. again. When an immigrant is offered voluntary departure by an immigration judge, they must agree to leave the U.S. within a specified amount of time and pay for their own travel costs and other related expenses. If they fail to do so, they will be subject to deportation and the immigration judge may impose penalties and fines. Immigrants in immigration court in California may be offered voluntary departure as an option. It is important for the immigrant to understand the benefits and consequences of this decision before agreeing to voluntary departure. They should speak to an experienced immigration attorney for guidance.

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La salida voluntaria es una opción ofrecida por el tribunal de inmigración que permite a una persona salir de los Estados Unidos de manera voluntaria, antes de que el juez tome una decisión sobre el caso. Al aceptar la salida voluntaria, la persona se compromete a salir de los Estados Unidos de manera voluntaria y sin la necesidad de que el juez emita una orden de deportación. Si bien la salida voluntaria evita que una persona sea deportada, también podría tener un efecto negativo en el caso. Si una persona abandona el país voluntariamente, se le considera como si la hubieran expulsado, lo que significa que el juez no solo no resolverá el caso de esa persona, sino que también será difícil para esa persona regresar a los Estados Unidos en el futuro. Por lo tanto, antes de aceptar la salida voluntaria, una persona debe consultar a un abogado experto en leyes de inmigración para determinar si esa opción es realmente la mejor para su caso. Algunas personas pueden tener derecho a tener sus casos resueltos de otra manera, como solicitar el asilo o la residencia permanente o incluso recurrir a una orden de no deportación del juez. Si se elige la salida voluntaria puede ser difícil para esa persona volver a ingresar a Estados Unidos.

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