Charlotte Woman Chooses Voluntary Removal to Honduras After Six Months in ICE Custody

(HOUSTON) After six months in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, a Charlotte woman chose voluntary removal to Honduras this summer, joining a growing group of detainees taking charter flights home under the Trump administration’s new Project Homecoming. Her decision reflects a wider shift in U.S. enforcement: more detention, faster case completions, and fresh incentives for people to leave on their own rather than wait for a formal deportation order.

In May, the Department of Homeland Security operated a voluntary charter from Houston to Honduras and Colombia that carried 64 people who opted to self-deport; 38 flew to Honduras. DHS said participants arranged departures through the CBP Home App, received travel planning help, and a $1,000 stipend. Honduran authorities met returnees with a $100 bonus for adults, food vouchers, and job support. Officials argue the program reduces crowding in detention centers while offering a clearer exit for those with limited legal options.

The scale of enforcement this year is large. As of July 2025, ICE reported 315,943 removals or returns for the fiscal year, with a sharp rise in removals of Central American nationals, including Hondurans. Immigration courts moved quickly in July alone, completing 70,894 cases, issuing 48,711 removal orders, and granting 6,226 voluntary departures. ICE detention grew from 39,238 to 41,169 in February.

By June, more than 65% of detainees had no criminal convictions, and among those with convictions, only 8.5% were for violent offenses. The profile of those held has shifted toward people without criminal records, a change the administration frames as necessary to enforce existing immigration laws.

Project Homecoming: What it Does and Why

Project Homecoming, launched in early 2025 under President Trump, seeks to make voluntary departure more straightforward by adding travel coordination and financial help.

• DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has promoted the program, stressing that people who cooperate and leave within the set window avoid harsher penalties that follow a final deportation order.
• DHS also highlights that those who follow through on voluntary departure generally retain the chance to apply for legal entry in the future, subject to the same visa rules as everyone else.

Advocates counter that many people choosing voluntary removal are doing so after months in custody and under pressure, often separated from U.S.-based families and jobs. They note the rise in non-criminal detentions and worry long-term residents are leaving because they see no realistic path to stay. Government officials respond that the numbers show the system is working as intended to enforce immigration laws while offering an orderly way out.

Policy Details: Voluntary Departure vs. Removal

Voluntary removal is the term many detainees use, but in immigration law the process is called “voluntary departure.” It allows a person to leave the U.S. without a formal removal order, which typically carries multi-year or permanent reentry bars. Key points:

• A judge or an ICE officer can grant voluntary departure at different stages of a case.
• When approved, the person must exit within a set period—usually 60–120 days—and at their own expense.
• Under Project Homecoming, DHS can arrange group flights and provide the $1,000 travel stipend and logistics support.
• If someone fails to leave by the deadline, the order converts to a removal, triggering tougher penalties.

For Honduran nationals weighing this option, the context at home matters. The Honduran government has expanded reintegration support under the “Hermano, Hermana, Vuelve a Casa” program. Benefits include:

• $100 arrival bonus for adults
• Food aid and vouchers
• Job placement assistance

These steps aim to cushion the first weeks after return, though returnees still face real hurdles—especially those who have lived abroad for many years.

There is also the question of Temporary Protected Status (TPS). As of August 2025, a court-ordered delay keeps TPS for Hondurans in place, shielding about 72,000 people in the United States from deportation while that protection stands. Those with valid TPS are not the target of removal flights. But Hondurans without TPS—or whose TPS has lapsed—remain at risk of detention and deportation.

For official TPS details, USCIS guidance is available here: USCIS TPS for Honduras

How Voluntary Departure Typically Happens in Detention

Inside detention, lawyers say the first step is to ask whether voluntary departure is even possible. Officers and judges look at:

• Time spent in the United States
• Ties to the community
• Any criminal history
• Whether the person can arrange travel

People who choose Homecoming flights usually:

1. Confirm identity documents through their consulate.
2. Enroll through the CBP Home App.
3. Coordinate final departure with ICE.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, voluntary departure can preserve future visa options when the person leaves on time and with proper documentation.

The Charlotte woman’s path followed this pattern. She sat through months in custody while her case moved through the docket. By the time a slot opened on the Houston charter, she had lost her job back home, exhausted savings, and faced an uncertain timeline in court. Voluntary removal to Honduras offered a definite date to reunite with family, and the financial help reduced the cost of returning.

Her attorney told her that, if she qualifies later, she can try for a visa. That hope is not a promise, but it is more than she would have after a deportation order. She left without a removal order.

Impact on Families and Next Steps

For families, the choice rarely feels simple. Parents weigh a known exit against the chance—sometimes small—of winning relief if they wait. Children in the United States often stay with relatives while a parent is detained. Spouses balance work schedules with frequent trips to detention centers.

In these moments, the 60–120 day window and the promise of avoiding a formal removal order can push a decision.

Advocacy groups argue the current pace of detentions and court completions narrows people’s options, especially for those without lawyers. They point to the sharp increase in non-criminal detentions and say the policy hurts long-settled families. Government officials reply that the system prioritizes finality: people without a legal way to stay should depart, and Homecoming provides a structured, humane exit.

Legal experts agree on one point: if a person chooses voluntary departure, they must follow the rules exactly.

• Leave by the deadline
• Keep copies of travel and exit records
• Avoid conduct that could trigger reentry bars

Those who comply may still face other visa hurdles later—such as unlawful presence penalties or prior immigration violations—but they do not carry the added weight of a formal deportation order.

Practical Checklist for Honduran Nationals Considering Voluntary Removal

• Ask early. The chance to seek voluntary departure exists at several stages, and earlier requests can be easier to arrange.
• Confirm identity documents. Consular help can speed travel planning, especially for Homecoming flights.
• Track deadlines. Missing the 60–120 day window converts the grant into a removal order with tougher penalties.
• Keep records. Proof of timely departure can matter for future visa applications.
• Check TPS status. If you have TPS, keep it current and be alert to filing windows; TPS holders are not subject to removal while protected.

Support, Capacity, and Future Outlook

The government plans more Homecoming flights this year, with outreach inside detention centers and through the CBP Home App. Honduran consulates in the United States are preparing for more arrivals, and nonprofit groups are trying to connect returnees with jobs and housing.

Still, the road home can be rocky:

• People who spent years in the United States may need retraining and new identity documents.
• Rebuilding savings can take time.
• Remittances to family members back in Honduras can stop suddenly, creating stress on both sides of the border.

The policy landscape could change again. Extended litigation over TPS keeps many Hondurans in limbo, and additional court decisions could shift who is covered and for how long. DHS and ICE continue to expand detention capacity and speed up case processing. If those trends hold, both voluntary and involuntary departures are likely to rise through late 2025.

Key Contacts and Resources

• ICE Detainee Information Line: 1-888-351-4024 — case status and facility details.
• USCIS Contact Center: 1-800-375-5283 — TPS questions and renewal windows.
• CBP Home App — main tool for Homecoming scheduling and departure coordination.
• Official USCIS TPS page for Honduras: USCIS TPS for Honduras

The Charlotte woman’s decision shows how a policy built around speed and incentives filters down to a single person choosing between waiting and leaving. For her, the promise of a clean legal exit, a ticket home, and modest financial help outweighed the uncertainty of staying in detention. For many others this year—especially Hondurans—the same calculus is now in play.