“Self-deportation” by immigrants begins amid Trump’s looming plans

Michel Bérrios departed the United States just before the new year, exemplifying a trend of “self-deportations” driven by renewed fears of immigration crackdowns under President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration.
Despite being legally in the U.S. under a humanitarian parole program, Bérrios left voluntarily, choosing uncertainty abroad over the anxiety sparked by anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Why It Matters
Bérrios, a former leader of Nicaragua’s student protests, is among those abandoning the U.S. as uncertainty grows over policies targeting migrants with temporary legal status. Immigration advocates say this preemptive exodus underscores how fear can achieve Trump’s goal of reducing immigration without government action.
Newsweek has reached out to Trump’s office for comment via email.
Jeff Chiu/AP Photo
What To Know
Trump has pledged to end programs like humanitarian parole and temporary protected status, impacting over 1.5 million migrants. During his first term, logistical hurdles and limited resources capped deportations at 350,000 annually. However, “self-deportation” offers a way for the administration to reduce the migrant population without expending significant resources.
Rising Fears Spur Self-Deportations
Bérrios’ case highlights the ripple effects of this strategy. Despite finding refuge in California, her experiences of persecution in Nicaragua and rising hostility in the U.S. made her question her safety, reflecting broader concerns among migrants with temporary legal standing.
Bérrios’ Background
Bérrios arrived in the U.S. in 2023 through a Biden administration program granting two-year humanitarian parole to citizens of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Her cousin, a U.S. citizen, sponsored her application, enabling her to work legally and escape political persecution.
As the presidential campaign intensified, so did her discomfort. Anti-immigrant comments from colleagues and threats of mass deportations brought back memories of living in hiding during Nicaragua’s crackdown on dissent. “That uncertainty has returned,” she said.
Irish Solution
With no option to return to Nicaragua, Bérrios sought refuge in Ireland. There, asylum systems promise faster resolutions compared to the U.S., and public resistance to asylum-seekers remains relatively subdued. Upon arrival, she received a government-issued ID and free lodging while awaiting her case’s outcome.
Approximately 100,000 Nicaraguans have entered the U.S. under similar permits since late 2022. Trump’s promise to terminate such pathways has amplified fears among those temporarily protected.

Eric Gay/AP Photo
What People Are Saying
Michel Bérrios: “Because (the U.S.) is not a third-world country like the ones many of us come from, I thought there would be a different culture here.”
Tom Homan, Donald Trump’s incoming border czar: “If you wanna self-deport, you should self-deport because, again, we know who you are, and we’re gonna come and find you.”
What Happens Next
As Trump prepares to take office, the fate of programs like humanitarian parole hangs in the balance. For migrants like Bérrios, the decision to leave may foreshadow wider challenges in U.S. immigration policy.
This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.