A woman who was in the United States legally. She was deported anyway

It was Thursday, February 19, around 8:30 AM. I was detained on February 18, around 11:30 a.m., so it took less than 24 hours for my deportation.

My daughter was trying to look me up on a USCIS tracker, an ICE tracker, and she couldn’t find me there the whole time I was moving to San Ysidro.

What happened when you arrived in Mexico?

When I arrived in Tijuana, they handed us over to (the Mexican government) and took us to a shelter where the Mexican government received us. They helped us figure out how to get back to our hometown. But I have a friend who 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 did you spend in Mexico before you could return to the United States?

Forty days.

What does your life look like when you come back?

I am a district manager for a hotel chain, and I was able to return to work.

When I came back I asked for two weeks off, even though I was gone, because I felt like I had just woken up from a dream. I needed to realize that I was home. I have asked my daughter to pack her bags at home because she will not be able to afford living expenses. So, when I got home, I saw it packed and ready to go, and it was frustrating.

It’s just me and my daughter, and I am the head of the family, and the sole breadwinner for me and her. I’m in a bit of a difficult situation right now because I’m behind on my rent. I’m trying to stay strong. I’m trying to scrape together anything, any extra shifts or anything, extra work, that I can do to cover those expenses.

It really put me in a very bad position, as the struggles are so difficult right now.

A federal court said your deportation was illegal. Does this give you a feeling of security now?

I feel like everything is up in the air. You know, the uncertainty, the shock, the anxiety, the fear of being separated from my daughter again is really hard.

Given your experience, are you comfortable continuing to try to get your green card, or these processes where you have to interact with the federal government?

On that. It’s something I don’t want to give up. I want to take a step forward towards amending the situation. I truly believe I have everything to become a resident.

I have been in this country for 27 years, and my life is here, my community is here, and most importantly, my daughter is here.

What happened to me was illegal. I have a daughter who is a US citizen and I will not ask her to go to a foreign country and resume her life as I did.