Self-deportations surge as Trump takes office

01/21/2025 / By Belle Carter

A wave of self-deportations is occurring in the United States as immigrants, both documented and undocumented, leave due to fears of stricter immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
The trend is exemplified by individuals like Michel Berrios, a Nicaraguan activist with legal status, who left the country citing uncertainty and a lack of humanism under the new administration.
Local advocacy groups and attorneys in cities like Denver are reporting a surge in calls from migrants seeking advice on self-deportation or asylum in other countries.
The U.S. asylum system is experiencing strain, with delays and fraudulent claims complicating the process for legitimate applicants, and some migrants are considering countries with more efficient asylum procedures.
Trump’s immigration policies, including plans to end temporary protected status and humanitarian parole programs, are already influencing outcomes and affecting over 1.5 million people, such as Berrios, who had to leave the U.S. to avoid uncertainty.

As President Donald Trump assumes office, a growing wave of self-deportations is sweeping across the United States, driven by fears of stricter immigration enforcement and a perceived “lack of compassion” under the incoming administration.

This phenomenon, which aligns with Trump’s long-standing immigration goals, has seen individuals like Michel Berrios, a former Nicaraguan activist, voluntarily leave the country despite holding legal status. Berrios, 31, left the United States just days before the new year, citing uncertainty and a sense of alienation as her primary reasons for departure. (Related: Trump administration plans mass deportations, cuts to sanctuary cities on Day One.)

“The reasons I left the United States are not only the uncertainty you’re living with as [Trump] returns to power but also because it’s a country where people don’t have a sense of humanism,” Berrios told the Associated Press. Her decision reflects a broader trend among immigrants, both documented and undocumented, who are weighing their options as Trump’s administration promises to crack down on illegal immigration.

In Denver, local advocacy groups and attorneys have reported a surge in calls from migrants considering self-deportation or seeking asylum in other countries, such as Canada. One Venezuelan man, for example, requested assistance to return to Colombia, highlighting the growing anxiety among immigrant communities. Tom Homan, Trump’s pick to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has reinforced this sentiment, stating bluntly, “If you want to self-deport, you should self-deport because we know who you are, and we’re gonna come and find you.”

The rise in self-deportations comes amid ongoing challenges within the U.S. asylum system. A Venezuelan asylum seeker, Alberto Bejarano pointed out that fraudulent claims have created significant delays for legitimate applicants.

“Asylum is for people who [are] being personally persecuted by their government… not because your country is in bad shape or you have a bad economic situation,” Bejarano told the Denver Post.

This strain is not unique to the United States. Asylum systems worldwide are grappling with similar issues, prompting some migrants to seek refuge in countries with more efficient processes.

For Berrios, Ireland emerged as a viable alternative. “I felt Ireland was a country of opportunity,” she said. The European nation’s relatively swift resolution of asylum cases and lack of strong anti-immigrant sentiment made it an attractive destination.

Temporary protected status and humanitarian parole programs to end soon

The current wave of self-deportations echoes historical patterns of public backlash against immigrants. During the Great Depression, for example, mass deportations and voluntary departures of Mexican immigrants were driven by economic hardship and xenophobic policies.

Critics argue that unchecked illegal immigration imposes significant financial and social costs on American taxpayers, including expenses related to self-deportation. Images from the U.S.-Mexico border, shared by individuals like Jason Jones, illustrate the strain on resources and the environmental toll of unmanaged migration flows.

Trump’s immigration policies, which include plans to end temporary protected status and humanitarian parole programs, have already begun shaping outcomes before his inauguration. These programs currently benefit over 1.5 million people, including Berrios, who arrived in the U.S. in 2023 under former President Joe Biden’s humanitarian parole initiative for citizens of vulnerable countries like Nicaragua.

After fleeing her country to escape President Daniel Ortega’s crackdown on dissent, she found herself once again facing uncertainty in the U.S. “I spent five years hiding. I had to change my routine. I had to change my life completely,” she said of her time in Nicaragua. With Trump’s return to power, she felt compelled to leave.

Now settled in Ireland, Berrios shares a room with women from Somalia, Egypt and Pakistan in a government-funded hotel. She looks forward to enrolling in school and eventually obtaining permanent residency. While she does not view her departure as a victory for Trump, she sees it as a reflection of “deeper societal issues.”

Head over to InvasionUSA.news for updates on Trump’s illegal immigration policy.

Watch the video below that talks about GOP governors supporting Trump’s mass deportation plans.

This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.