Immigration Lawyer Reports Unprecedented Self-Deportations Amid Border Policy Changes

Declining Migrant Encounters

• 📉 Migrant encounters at the U.S. southern border have seen a dramatic decrease, with a reported 95% drop since January.
• 📊 In the first 12 days of March, the average daily illegal crossings were 244, a trend that could lead to lower numbers than February.
• 🗣️ Former President Trump has attributed this decline to his administration's policies, stating the border is effectively closed to illegal immigrants.

Policy Changes and Enforcement

• 🌍 Homeland Security Secretary has announced that America's borders are closed to those wishing to enter illegally, emphasizing a desire for immigrants who respect U.S. laws.
• 🚫 Key policy shifts include ending the CBP1 app, pressuring Mexico to deploy troops, ending Catch and Release, and reinstating the Remain in Mexico policy.
• 💰 The closure of several temporary processing facilities along the border is expected to save millions of dollars monthly.

Rise in Self-Deportations

• ⚠️ An immigration attorney specializing in Venezuelan migrants reports an unprecedented surge in self-deportations.
• ⚖️ He notes that numerous clients and non-clients are choosing to leave the U.S. voluntarily, a phenomenon he has not witnessed before in his career.
• 📱 A new CBP home app allows individuals in the country illegally to notify DHS of their intent to self-deport, though its usage remains to be seen.