Woman, having resided in the U.S. for 36 years, voluntarily returns to Mexico
In a poignant move, Regina Higuera, a woman who had lived in the United States for 36 years, voluntarily deported herself to Mexico this month. Accompanied by her family, Higuera made the journey from Los Angeles to Tijuana on June 7, a day when demonstrators were protesting the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
Higuera's self-deportation was documented by her daughter, Julia Ear, who shared the experience on TikTok. In the video, Higuera can be heard asking her daughter not to cry, to let her go in peace, and to take care of herself.
The decision to self-deport was driven by fear of forced deportation and an increase in immigration raids. Higuera first moved to the U.S. when she was 15 and hadn't seen her mother in 22 years. Leaving behind her husband, who was planning to join her in Mexico in a few months, and three grandchildren, Higuera took a flight from Tijuana to Mexico City, and then drove five hours to Guerrero state, where she plans on retiring.
The Trump administration's voluntary return program, known as "Operation Homecoming," offers undocumented immigrants $1,000 and a free flight home if they voluntarily self-deport and prove their exit through the Customs and Border Protection Home app. The program aims to encourage self-deportation to meet a goal of deporting one million immigrants per year. However, the exact number of undocumented immigrants who have taken advantage of this program is not publicly detailed in recent reports.
Experts have raised concerns about the feasibility and legality of the program, including questions about verifying whether participants actually leave and the implications for immigrants who may have legitimate legal claims to stay in the U.S. [1][4]
As of early June, approximately 51,000 undocumented migrants were in ICE custody, which is the highest number since September 2019. [2] Despite the doubts surrounding the program's effectiveness and the risks for participants, the administration continues to promote it as part of its immigration enforcement strategy. [1][4]
[1] https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/trump-administration-offers-1-000-undocumented-immigrants-voluntarily-self-deport-n1066761 [2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/06/09/ice-detention-record-high-migrant-families-separated/ [3] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-immigration-deportation/trump-administration-offers-1000-to-undocumented-immigrants-to-voluntarily-self-deport-idUSKCN20G25Z [4] https://www.aclu.org/issues/immigrants-rights/immigration-detention/operation-homecoming-trumps-new-deportation-quota-scheme-targets-vulnerable-immigrants
- The Trump administration's immigration policy, which includes the voluntary return program known as "Operation Homecoming," offers undocumented immigrants a financial incentive and a free flight home if they voluntarily self-deport, as part of a goal to deport one million immigrants per year.
- Amidst war-and-conflicts, the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and threat of forced deportations have led individuals like Regina Higuera to consider policy-and-legislation, such as the voluntary return program, in their effort to retain safety and stability. This situation highlights the intersection of politics and the general news, as these decisions impact the lives of millions of immigrants in the United States.
