L.A. Mom Self-Deports to Mexico After 36 Years in U.S.

A mother from South Los Angeles made the decision to self-deport to Mexico — after spending the last 36 years in the United States — amidst aggressive immigration enforcement actions across the country. The woman’s daughter, Julia Ear, said that her mother decided to self-deport in February because she did not want to get deported without her consent and against her will.

She Self-Deported at 51

The 51-year-old woman, Regina Higuera, said in a statement that this is “the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.” Her daughter said in a TikTok video, “With my mom’s complicated legal status, she decided to do this in her own terms. … She has no criminal record and is a hardworking taxpayer who has been working 12-hour shifts since she was 15, six days out of the week.” Deportation of illegal immigrants has been a major agenda for President Donald Trump during his second term in Office, and he has vowed to carry out the largest mass deportations in U.S. history during his presidential campaign. Keeping true to his word, the Trump administration launched sweeping Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids across the country, arresting, detaining and deporting without legal status. As of early June, around 51,000 undocumented migrants were in ICE custody, reports have mentioned. The sweeping raids have sparked major anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles, which prompted Trump to deploy Marines and the California National Guard to deal with the situation.

L.A. Mom Moves to Mexico

Higuera’s family drove her to the airport in Tijuana, where she took a flight to Mexico City and then drove five hours to Guerrero state, a place she had not visited in more than two decades. Before moving, she reportedly built a small home in Mexico and had family to support her. It has also been reported that the mother of three came to the U.S. when she was 15. She’s been a garment worker in Los Angeles ever since. She’s leaving behind her three children, three grandchildren and her husband to start over again in Mexico. “This is the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make in my life,” Higuera said in Spanish. According to reports, her husband is planning to join her in Mexico in a few months.

A Decision Prompted By Fear

According to her daughter, Higuera’s decision to self-deport to Mexico was prompted by fear. She reportedly made the decision in February, shortly after President Trump promised to ramp up deportations in his second term. “She made this decision out of fear. … That was the one thing my mom was really scared of, to get deported without her consenting to it. That was her biggest fear,” Ear said, adding that her mother tried to fix her legal status but that the process became too expensive for the family. “Nobody chooses to be illegal on purpose. Anyone would choose to be legal in a heartbeat. … [Higuera] had her work permit. That’s why she had her Social Security. She’s in the system. She’s paying taxes,” Ear continued. The family said that they are still living in fear of losing other friends and family members to ICE raids.

Trump Admin Offers $1,000 for Self-Deportation

According to reports, the Trump administration is offering $1,000 and free flights to undocumented immigrants who decide to self-deport as part of Project Homecoming. “Anyone who uses the Customs and Border Protection Home Mobile App to inform the government that they plan to return home, the department said, would receive a $1,000 payment after their return is confirmed by the government,” reports have mentioned. According to the Department of Homeland Security, 64 people opted for self-deportation on Project Homecoming’s first charter flight in May. However, Ear said that her mother did not contact the government before leaving. She also said that her mother understands the decision to self-deport is not for everyone. “We don’t want to be a walking advertisement to promote self-deportation. … I don’t want to be that. But, I also don’t want to tell people to stay and endure the abuse and violence that is happening,” Higuera said.

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