Self-deportation under Trump is proving to be one of the most effective strategies of his second term. As nearly a million illegal immigrants voluntarily leave the country, American workers are finally seeing the wage increases they’ve been promised for years. And just like clockwork, the left is panicking.
Trump’s Self-Deportation Plan Is Actually Working
In early 2025, the Trump administration rolled out a two-part immigration enforcement strategy. One focused on arrests and traditional deportations. The other, more subtle but just as powerful, relied on self-deportation.
This isn’t some empty campaign slogan. It’s happening in real time. It’s a shame that most of the criminals like Andre Tiago Lucas aren’t self deporting.
How the plan works:
- All visa holders and undocumented migrants are now required to register with DHS.
- A revamped mobile app (formerly “CBP One”) allows illegal immigrants to schedule and process their own voluntary departures.
- Anyone who self-deports using the app gets a $1,000 travel stipend, cutting government costs dramatically.
To put it in perspective: deporting someone traditionally costs the government over $17,000. Trump’s version saves over 90% of that cost — while achieving the same result.
The Impact: Illegal Workers Exit, Wages Rise
Since March 2025, approximately 1 million foreign-born workers have left the U.S. labor market, either through self-deportation or job market pressures. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, nearly 773,000 were undocumented.
That sudden shrink in the labor pool has had exactly the effect conservatives predicted.
- Average hourly wages jumped 0.4% in May to $36.24.
- Employers in manufacturing, food service, and construction are now raising pay to attract legal workers.
- American citizens are finally gaining negotiating power after decades of suppressed wages due to illegal labor flooding the market.
Of course, the left calls this a “labor shortage.” Conservatives call it a market correction.
Why the Left Hates Self-Deportation Under Trump
When low-skill labor becomes scarce, Democrats lose control of a major tool: cheap votes and cheap labor. So the usual suspects in legacy media are trying to spin the situation.
- Vox claims these deportations are “inhumane” and “disruptive.”
- The Washington Post worries about “economic strain.”
- MSNBC commentators are practically crying on air about restaurant closures and crop delays.
What they won’t mention is that these same industries have profited for years off of underpaid, off-the-books labor — at the expense of blue-collar Americans.
The irony? The left spent four years screaming that Trump’s immigration policies wouldn’t work. Now that they are working, they’re begging him to stop.
Real Numbers, Real Results
Let’s break down the facts behind self-deportation under Trump:
- 773,000 self-deportations in the first four months of 2025
- Nearly 1 million foreign-born workers gone since March
- Wages up 0.4% nationally
- $1,000 self-deportation stipend vs. $17,000 deportation cost — over 90% cheaper
- ICE resources redirected to criminals and gang members instead of working-class families
This isn’t just efficient. It’s effective. And most importantly — it puts American citizens first.
Critics Panic While Workers Win
Predictably, business lobbyists are screaming. Agriculture, fast food, and cleaning service industries are complaining about “critical labor shortages.”
Translation: they can’t exploit illegal labor anymore, and it’s cutting into their profit margins.
Even some state governors are asking the federal government to “pause enforcement.” That’s how you know the pressure is real — and it’s working.
Meanwhile, working-class Americans are seeing something they haven’t seen in decades: leverage. When employers can’t rely on under-the-table workers, they have to pay up. That’s not a crisis. That’s justice.
The Conservative Bottom Line
Self-deportation under Trump is a masterstroke of smart policy:
- It cuts costs
- It reduces illegal presence
- It boosts wages
- And it puts Americans back in control
It’s no surprise the left is melting down. For decades, they’ve used illegal immigration as a tool to reshape the electorate and prop up donor-class profits. Now, Trump is cutting off that supply chain — and it’s hitting them where it hurts.
What’s hilarious is that this is happening without ICE breaking down doors. Illegal immigrants are leaving on their own. All it took was a president who meant what he said.
