The return of Donald Trump to the presidency has prompted an unexpected phenomenon at the southern border: a mass self-deportation movement that has seen many illegal migrants opting to leave the U.S. before they can be forcibly removed. Reports indicate that even prior to Trump’s inauguration, individuals who had made this country their home under President Biden were beginning to pack their bags, perhaps sensing a change in the political winds.
National Border Patrol Council Vice President Art Del Cueto recently pointed out the effects of Trump’s tough rhetoric and flurry of executive orders aimed at immigration enforcement. Faced with the prospect of stricter policies, it seems these migrants decided that it was high time to head back to their respective countries. The migration out seems to have started weeks ago, with many individuals apparently acknowledging that the current administration is not one where they would be welcomed to stay indefinitely.
“IT’S LIKE A FLIP OF THE SWITCH. NOW TRUMP IS BACK AND THE LIGHT IS TURNED BACK ON!” @ArtDelCuetoAZ and @jsolomonReports talk about the changes we are already seeing at the border. “People are self-deporting!” pic.twitter.com/Cc6354B45X
— Real America's Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) January 21, 2025
On Inauguration Day, Trump signed multiple executive orders focusing on border security, including the termination of the Biden Administration’s CBP One app that allowed the processing of countless migrants. This prompted some dramatic scenes at the border, with videos emerging of individuals in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, weeping after they learned their appointments had been canceled, flagship evidence of the emotional toll these policy changes are having.
In addition to shutting down the app, Trump’s actions also targeted “birth tourism,” where foreign nationals give birth on U.S. soil to obtain citizenship for their children. This particular gambit has been a legal headache and a key hurdle in deporting certain illegal aliens. Furthermore, the reintroduction of the “Remain in Mexico” policy suggests that would-be asylum-seekers now have to think twice before attempting to cross the border. This could mean a stronger approach to immigration where those who want to enter will have to do so from a distance—much to the chagrin of those hoping for a quick pass into the country.
The former ICE Director, Tom Homan, slated