As ICE operations expand nationwide, the Department of Homeland Security is reporting a massive surge in website traffic, signaling that millions of people in the country illegally are paying close attention to President Donald Trump’s renewed enforcement of immigration law. The message is getting through, and the reaction has been immediate.
Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration—something he promised on the campaign trail—has triggered predictable meltdowns on the Left, with some Democrats openly excusing obstruction and even violent behavior toward federal law enforcement. But beneath the noise, a quieter and far more telling development is unfolding: many illegal immigrants are actively weighing their options.
There are, in reality, straightforward ways to avoid the chaos. One is ending sanctuary city and state policies, which would allow ICE to work with local authorities and handle removals in an orderly, lawful manner instead of being forced into street-level enforcement. The other option is even simpler: voluntary self-deportation.
That option appears to be gaining attention. DHS announced Wednesday that it has increased the self-deportation incentive from $1,000 to $2,600. The logic isn’t complicated. Faced with a choice between being arrested by ICE or accepting $2,600 and a flight home, many are clearly doing the math. For a lot of people, a peaceful departure with money in hand beats a knock on the door.
The surge in traffic to DHS websites suggests that this approach is working exactly as intended. While activists shout and attempt to disrupt enforcement, the administration is offering a lawful, humane off-ramp that saves taxpayer money and reduces confrontation.
What the Left continues to ignore is that this is precisely what a majority of American voters demanded. No one ever claimed that fixing the immigration disaster left behind by the Biden administration would be easy or pleasant. But Trump promised action, not excuses.
Now, with enforcement ramped up and incentives aligned with the rule of law, the choice is clear—and millions are clearly paying attention. This is what follow-through looks like, and it’s another sign that order is being restored, one decision at a time.
