Numerous undocumented migrants who entered the United States during the Biden-Harris administration are now openly expressing their intention to “self-deport” in the days leading up to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Markie Martin, a host on NewsNation and sister to Trump’s deputy communications director, Margo Martin, appeared taken aback as she reported on this emerging trend across the nation. Recently, migrants have informed immigration attorneys that they prefer to leave voluntarily rather than face the possibility of arrest, detention, and deportation without any input regarding their destination under the incoming Trump administration.
While the exact number of migrants opting to depart on their own remains uncertain, a noticeable “trend” is forming, as correspondent Jorge Ventura noted that Mexico is preparing for a significant influx of new arrivals following Trump’s inauguration on January 20th. He remarked that the stringent rhetoric surrounding deportations from Trump has led some migrants to feel anxious, prompting them to choose self-deportation back to their home countries.
Rolando Vazquez, an immigration attorney based in San Antonio, Texas, indicated that some of his clients are so apprehensive about potential forced removal that they prefer to take matters into their own hands. “Just yesterday, they informed me of their decision to leave the country voluntarily, fully aware that the Trump administration is likely to fulfill its commitments,” he stated to NewsNation.
The shift in Mexican policy is expected to have the most significant impact on migrants from Cuba and Venezuela, two nations plagued by violence and corruption, which have prompted many residents to seek asylum in the U.S. Despite this, both countries do not accept deportation.
Additionally, undocumented migrants are being encouraged to depart due to a new Mexican policy that will facilitate the arrival of more non-Mexican deportees from the U.S. This relocation initiative, situated just south of the border, follows a conversation between President-elect Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, during which Trump threatened substantial tariffs on Mexican imports unless her administration complied.
Many migrants are choosing to depart independently, fully aware that they face the possibility of being deported either to their home country or to Mexico, a situation that the vast majority wish to avoid, as explained by immigration attorney Vazquez. Compounding this uncertainty is the rising violence and human trafficking perpetrated by Mexican cartels, who are likely to exploit many of the migrants sent back to Mexico. Sheinbaum has not indicated whether her administration has developed a strategy to prevent the cartels from taking advantage of these individuals.
