Just days into Donald Trump’s return to the presidency, the southern border is already seeing some movement—specifically, a notable “outflow of persons,” as illegal immigrants begin “voluntarily deporting themselves.” Conservative commentator Glenn Beck didn’t hold back in highlighting the shift, attributing it to the sudden disappearance of the Biden-era “welcome mat” for those crossing the border unlawfully. For many Americans, this change will come as a welcome relief, given polling numbers that show significant support for mass deportations.
Co-host Stu Burguiere was quick to back up Beck’s claims, pointing to a slew of polls—from outlets like Axios, the New York Times, Marquette Law School, CBS, and ABC—that all show similar results: a strong majority of Americans support stricter border enforcement, with 66% in favor of deportations. Meanwhile, left-leaning media outlets are predictably spinning a different narrative, accusing the Trump administration of preparing to raid schools and hunt down illegal immigrant children. Stu dismissed these claims as baseless fearmongering, noting that the focus of deportation efforts, as Trump and his border czar Tom Homan have repeatedly stated, will remain on criminals who have committed additional offenses.
A significant portion of deportations, however, won’t require ICE agents knocking on doors. Instead, as Stu put it, the “overwhelming majority” will be self-imposed, as illegal immigrants face the reality that the open-door policies of the past four years are no longer in effect. Without incentives to remain, many are choosing to leave voluntarily. The shift underscores a key element of Trump’s immigration policy: by removing the incentives that encouraged illegal crossings, many are opting to return home without the need for large-scale enforcement actions.
Sanctuary cities, long touted as safe havens for illegal immigrants, aren’t as protected as their leaders might believe. Beck noted that these cities could inadvertently accelerate deportations. Once criminals in sanctuary cities are released, they often seek refuge with family or friends who are also in the country illegally. Beck warned that ICE is more than prepared to make arrests across the board in such situations. Cities that refuse to cooperate with federal authorities, he argued, are likely doing more harm than good to their cause, as resistance only serves to quicken the pace of deportations.
The shift in tone at the border is already drawing reactions from across the political spectrum, but for conservatives, it’s proof that the chaos of the last administration was not inevitable. Trump’s approach is simple: enforce the law and remove the incentives that enable illegal immigration. Critics may call it harsh, but for his supporters, it’s a return to common sense—a welcome reprieve after years of what they saw as open-border chaos. With sanctuary cities and left-leaning media outlets already scrambling to reframe the narrative, it’s clear that the battle over immigration policy is far from over. However, one thing is certain: Trump’s presence in the White House is sending a clear message, and it’s already being heard loud and clear at the border.
