Just days into Donald Trump’s second term, the southern border is undergoing a transformation, much to the dismay of open-border advocates and the delight of his supporters. Reports of illegal immigrants voluntarily deporting themselves are making waves, a phenomenon Glenn Beck was quick to attribute to Trump’s no-nonsense immigration policies. The Biden administration’s “welcome mat,” as Beck sarcastically put it, has been rolled up and tossed aside, signaling a return to a common-sense approach at the border. For many Americans, this marks a long-overdue correction after years of lax enforcement and unchecked crossings, with polling showing widespread support for stricter immigration measures.
Conservative commentator Stu Burguiere added fuel to the fire by citing a series of polls from outlets like Axios and the New York Times that reveal just how popular the idea of tighter border controls really is. A striking 66% of Americans support mass deportations, a number that likely sends shivers down the spines of progressive immigration advocates. Meanwhile, left-leaning media outlets are busy spinning doomsday scenarios, accusing the Trump administration of planning school raids and targeting children. Burguiere dismissed these claims as baseless hysteria, pointing out that Trump’s focus remains on removing criminals who have committed additional offenses—a fact the president and border czar Tom Homan have made abundantly clear.
What’s most striking, however, is the self-deportation trend. Without ICE needing to pound on doors, many illegal immigrants are choosing to leave on their own. This self-imposed exodus is a direct result of Trump’s policy to eliminate the incentives that made illegal crossings so appealing during the previous administration. The message is simple: if there’s no promise of leniency or an open door, the calculus for staying changes dramatically. It’s a clear demonstration of how enforcement can work without an overwhelming need for manpower—just a little common sense and a firm stance.
Sanctuary cities, long touted as bastions of protection for illegal immigrants, are facing their own reckoning. Beck noted that these cities, in their defiance of federal immigration law, are ironically making it easier for ICE to carry out arrests. When criminals are released in sanctuary cities, they often gravitate toward family or friends who are also in the country illegally, creating a convenient cluster for law enforcement to target. Beck suggested that cities refusing to cooperate with ICE are only expediting deportations rather than hindering them—a reality likely lost on their leaders.
The shift at the border has ignited the predictable outrage from the left, but for conservatives, it’s vindication that the chaos of the previous administration was a choice, not an unavoidable crisis. Trump’s policies—rooted in enforcing existing laws and removing incentives for illegal immigration—are already proving effective. Sanctuary cities and sympathetic media outlets are scrambling to frame the narrative, but the facts on the ground are hard to ignore: the era of open borders is over. Trump’s message is clear, and the effects are rippling through the immigration system, forcing everyone—from illegal immigrants to sanctuary city mayors—to reevaluate their strategies.
