That was Thursday, February 19, around 8:30 am. I was detained on February 18, around 11:30, so it took less than 24 hours for me to be deported.
My daughter had been trying to search for me in the [US Citizenship and Immigration Services] tracker, the ICE tracker, and she could not find me there the whole time that I was moving down to San Ysidro.
What happened when you got to Mexico?
When I got to Tijuana, they turned us in to [the Mexican government] and they took us to a shelter where the Mexican government took us in.They helped figure out how we were going to get back to our hometowns. But I do have a friend that has a house in Tijuana, and she has family there, so I didn’t have to stay in the shelter until I got to my hometown, which is in Puebla, Mexico.
How long were you in Mexico before you were able to return to the US?
Forty days.
What did your life look like coming back?
I am an area manager for a chain of hotels, and I was able to come back for my job.
When I came back I asked for a couple weeks off, even though I had been gone, because it felt like I was just waking up out of a dream. I needed to realize I was back at home. I had asked my daughter to pack up the house because she wasn’t going to be able to afford the living expenses. So when I came back to the house, seeing it packed and ready to go was depressing.
It’s just me and my daughter, and I am the head of household, the only earner for me and for her. I’m in a bit of a tough situation right now because I’m behind on my rent. I’m trying to stay strong. I’m trying to pick up anything, any extra shifts or anything, extra work, that I could do to cover those expenses.
It did really put me in a really bad situation where right now, the struggles are really hard.
A federal court said your deportation was unlawful. Does that give you a sense of safety right now?
I feel like everything’s up in the air. You know the uncertainty, the trauma, the anxiety, the fear of getting separated from my daughter again is … It’s really hard.
Given your experience, are you comfortable continuing to try and get your green card, or these processes where you’re having to interact with the federal government?
I have to. It is something that I do not want to give up on. I want to take the step forward to an adjustment of status. I do truly believe that I have everything to become a resident.
I have been in this country for 27 years, my life is here, my community is here, and most importantly, my daughter is here.
What happened to me was unlawful. I have a US citizen daughter that I will not ask to go to a foreign country and restart her life like I did.
