Nearly one million illegal immigrants have left the US since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, according to a June 15 New York Post report, triggering a shift in the labor market that has opened up jobs for American citizens. 

The drop in illegal labor follows the rollout of Trump’s deportation strategy, which includes a mandatory migrant registration system, financial incentives for voluntary departure, and a rebranded “CBP Home” app that allows migrants to self-report their intent to leave the country.

“President Trump and I have a clear message to those in our country illegally: LEAVE NOW,” Department of Homeland Security Krisi Noem said late April in a statement announcing the self-deportation program. “If you do not self-deport, we will hunt you down, arrest you, and deport you. Download the FREE CBP Home app today to self-deport.”

According to a Wall Street Journal article, the illegal immigrant population shrank by at least 773,000 in the first four months of 2025 alone. While the report framed this as “a sign of the weakening labor supply,” it also noted that hourly wages rose by 0.4% in May to $36.24 — surpassing inflation and boosting workers’ earnings. 

“In other words, with fewer illegal immigrants, businesses have had to raise wages to attract workers,” Andrew Arthur, fellow in law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), wrote in the June 15 New York Post report. 

A clear example came last week in South Omaha, Nebraska, where Immigration and Enforcement (ICE) agents raided Glenn Valley Foods, a major meatpacking facility, arresting 76 illegal workers. 

Company president Chad Hartmann initially feared major disruptions, NBC News reported. However, just two days later, the company’s lobby was full of citizens filling out job applications.

According to CIS data, the total illegal immigrant population rose by nearly 50% under President Biden, reaching 15.4 million. Arthur noted that while DHS cannot detain and deport millions, strict enforcement has already prompted many to leave voluntarily. 

“DHS can’t arrest and deport 15.4 million illegal aliens,” Arthur wrote, “but if it simply enforces the law, many aliens will get the message and leave on their own — as hundreds of thousands apparently already have.”