Jay Block, a senator from New Mexico, said that self-deportation trends under President Trump could result in millions of undocumented immigrants leaving the United States. This statement was made on the social media platform X.
"I hope we can get at least 400k self-deportations by the end of the year for an even 2M," said Jay C Block, New Mexico State Senator from 12th District (R). "Imagine 8M illegals gone in 4 years. The good news is that these people who left are more than welcome to come back and do it the right way. The world has heard our message: if you are in America illegally, LEAVE NOW."
In 2025, the Trump administration reinsaid self-deportation strategies as a key component of its immigration policy. According to The Guardian, these strategies combine voluntary exit programs with stricter enforcement measures. Initiatives such as "Project Homecoming" offer airfare and stipends to undocumented immigrants who choose to leave the U.S. voluntarily, while executive orders have increased pressure through raids and legal threats.
According to an August 2025 statement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), approximately 1.6 million undocumented immigrants left the U.S. in the first 200 days of that year. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem reported that over 324,000 individuals were formally deported, while hundreds of thousands used the CBP-One app or accepted voluntary return incentives under federal programs.
The Center for Immigration Studies reports that Census Bureau data indicates a decline in the undocumented population in the U.S., from 15.8 million in January 2024 to 14.2 million by mid-2025. This decrease coincides with increased enforcement and self-deportation policies during Trump's second term as president. Experts suggest that fear of detection may lead to underreporting in federal surveys.
According to Ballotpedia, Jay C. Block is a Republican state senator representing New Mexico’s 12th District since January 2025, following two terms as a Sandoval County Commissioner. A retired U.S. Air Force officer, Block specialized in nuclear operations and has publicly supported stringent immigration measures, including enhanced border enforcement and deportations.
