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CBS News
4 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
As ICE raids ramped up across L.A., a grandmother who lived in the U.S. for 36 years chose to self-deport and leave her family behind
Los Angeles — As U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement stepped up raids across Los Angeles in recent weeks, Julie Ear and her family made a difficult drive to Tijuana International Airport just south of the U.S.-Mexico border. Ear's mother, Regina Higuera, had lived in the United States for 36 years. But on this particular morning in early June, she left her home, her children and grandchildren — all of whom are U.S. citizens — and headed back to her birthplace in Mexico. "When the ICE raids started picking up on other states, we knew that we were going to get hit eventually," Ear told CBS News. "Nobody's safe." Since President Trump began his second term, ICE has arrested more than 100,000 people as of early June, according to internal government data obtained by CBS News. The Trump administration has also encouraged undocumented migrants to self-deport. Last month, it announced it would offer free airline tickets and a $1,000 incentive to some migrants who chose to leave the U.S. and return to their home countries on their own accord. Ear said her mother chose to self-deport because "she wanted to make sure that she was in control of her life." "She didn't like the uncertainty of somebody coming into her house, or her job, or being pulled over, and just telling her, 'Oh, now you're in Mexico,'" Ear said of her mother. Higuera had crossed into the U.S. illegally when she was only 15 and went straight to work in Los Angeles' garment factories, Ear said. She had intended to stay for just a period of time, earn enough money and then return to Mexico. But then she met her husband and started a family. "She's been contributing to the economy, paying taxes every year," Ear said. "There's no benefit for being undocumented, they don't get benefits. She's not going to get a pension. She doesn't have a 401(k). She never got food stamps. She didn't get welfare. People want to come here to work. And, you know, it's not illegal to want to work." Now, recently reunited with her own mother in Guerrero, Mexico, Higuera said nearly everything outside of her new home is unfamiliar. "I'm happy because I'm no longer stressed," Higuera told CBS News from her new home in Mexico of her decision to leave the U.S. "But there are moments when I think about all of you [her family] and I get sad." The better life she worked to build in the U.S. is now being carried on by her children. "That's why I have such a strong daughter," Higuera said of Ear. "From a very young age, I taught her, we have to be strong no matter what situation that we find ourselves in." Ear said she talks and texts with her mother daily. "Sometimes I forget that she's so far because we talk so much," Ear said. "But then that is when the family thing happens, that's when I'm like, 'Oh my God, you're actually gone. You're not actually here.'"
Daily Mail
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
LA grandmother self-deports over Trump fears
A grandmother has chosen to self-deport over fears she'd be kicked out of the United States and sent to Mexico by Donald Trump . The 51-year-old woman, identified only as Regina, has lived in South Los Angeles since 1989 but boarded a one-way flight to Mexico City on June 7 and left her life behind. Her daughter, Julie Ear, said her mother had become frightened over the Trump Administration's continued efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and deportations. 'After decades of hard work in the US, she made the difficult decision to return home, not because she wanted to, but because it was the only option left,' Ear wrote on a GoFundMe for her mother's new life. Regina had been working to gain citizenship, and meanwhile had raised her family and worked as a garment worker in the city's Fashion District. As Regina boarded her flight, her family drove to Tijuana, Mexico, to say goodbye, as she leaves behind three children and three grandchildren. 'She was afraid they would come to her house,' Ear told KTLA 5 . 'She was afraid to drive, to be pulled over and taken in.' 'The worst part was saying goodbye to her kids and grandchildren. That was the hardest part for her.' She said that her mother decided not to take advantage of Trump's Project Homecoming, which offers financial aid including government funded flights and an 'incentive' of $1,000 to those who self deport. 'It honestly feels like a trap,' Ear said. '[Especially] once we give up that control to somebody else, to the government that is obviously not on our side.' Ear videoed her mother's journey and posted it on social media, where it went viral. The compilation of videos shows her family getting up at 5am with her mom in the back of the car. Regina and her family were videoed journeying into Tijuana and spending time in the airport together before her flight. 'She made this decision months ago and even though it breaks my heart, I'd rather see her leave than live here in fear,' Ear wrote on Instagram. 'She is the most Americanized person I know and a total diva! She has spent most of her life in the US, so this is going to be a huge adjustment for her.' Regina was seen tearfully hugging her family members in heartbreaking moments throughout the video as they said goodbye. 'I just hugged her so close to me,' Ear told KTLA 5. 'I kissed her. I kept telling her, "Don't worry, Mom. I'm going to see you very soon".' After landing in Mexico, Regina was able to see her mother for the first time in 22 years. A father-of-four self-deported to Mexico with his American wife and four US born children due to the same fears harbored by Regina and her family. Cenobio Feliciano-Galeana crossed into the United States illegally when he was 18, and since then has built his life in America. But despite his children and his wife, he was unable to obtain citizenship or a green card. Now, following the ruthless crackdown on illegal immigrants and the looming threat of ICE agents, Cenobio made the decision to self-deport. At the end of the year, Ashlee, Cenobio's wife, plans to move with her four children to a country they have never known, just to keep the family together. Since they began their relationship, Ashlee says she and her family have been trying to get Cenobio through the process to gain legal status in the U.S., with no luck. Several lawyers and thousands of dollars later, she says not even being married to a U.S. citizen helps Cenobio's cause. 'If I had a penny for every time somebody has said that, I'd have the money to pay for those lawyers,' she said. She says the lawyers initially told them they had a fifty-fifty chance of getting Cenobio lawful permanent residence or citizenship. After the Trump administration was sworn in, she says she was told they had no chance. Their options were to stay and risk it—or have Cenobio self-deport and try again in 10 years. 'We have a six-year-old down to a nine-month-old baby. Ten years without a father? That is huge,' Ashlee said. For her, moving with him is the only option. Staying behind in the U.S. was out of the question. 'Wait for one day them to come into my home and take my husband away like a criminal and have my kids have to see that. And I decided that was not a choice I was willing to live with,' she said. Ashlee says Cenobio never committed a crime. His name doesn't bring anything up in the Utah court system. His only offense was being caught at the border twice and crossing illegally. That itself is a crime—one that Ashlee acknowledges but doesn't believe should be a life sentence. 'He was born on the wrong side of a line. He came here because he was starving. You know, what would you do if he truly went days without eating, starving? Where would your desperation lead you?' she said. The Trump Administration has heavily pushed for any illegal immigrants in the United States to self-deport, instead of being detained by ICE officials. United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem gave a stern warning to any undocumented immigrants in an advertisement pushing the deportations and arrests of illegal immigrants. 'Leave now. If you don't, we will find you and deport you,' Noem said. 'You will never return.' Self-deportation typically allows an individual to reenter the United States without the bans that follow from an official deportation. According to ICE, a bar on reentry for a specific period of time can be imposed once proceedings before a Department of Justice immigration judge take place. 'ICE may agree to seek dismissal of removal proceedings if you prove you left the US on your own - and that way, you may be able to avoid getting a final order of removal [and the negative consequences that come with it],' the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement website said. The reentry ban can range from five to twenty years depending on the severity of the crime. Individuals who were removed after a short unlawful stay in the US can face a ban of five years, while repeat offenders who have been removed multiple times can face around a twenty year ban. Anyone who was involved in 'serious criminal activity' or those who reentered the US illegally following deportation can face a permanent ban.
Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
LA grandmother takes drastic action over fears Trump would deport her to Mexico
A grandmother has chosen to self-deport over fears she'd be kicked out of the United States and sent to Mexico by Donald Trump. The 51-year-old woman, identified only as Regina, has lived in South Los Angeles since 1989 but boarded a one-way flight to Mexico City on June 7 and left her life behind. Her daughter, Julie Ear, said her mother had become frightened over the Trump Administration's continued efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and deportations. 'After decades of hard work in the US, she made the difficult decision to return home, not because she wanted to, but because it was the only option left,' Ear wrote on a GoFundMe for her mother's new life. Regina had been working to gain citizenship, and meanwhile had raised her family and worked as a garment worker in the city's Fashion District. As Regina boarded her flight, her family drove to Tijuana, Mexico, to say goodbye, as she leaves behind three children and three grandchildren. 'She was afraid they would come to her house,' Ear told KTLA 5. 'She was afraid to drive, to be pulled over and taken in.' 'The worst part was saying goodbye to her kids and grandchildren. That was the hardest part for her.' She said that her mother decided not to take advantage of Trump's Project Homecoming, which offers financial aid including government funded flights and an 'incentive' of $1,000 to those who self deport. 'It honestly feels like a trap,' Ear said. '[Especially] once we give up that control to somebody else, to the government that is obviously not on our side.' Ear videoed her mother's journey and posted it on social media, where it went viral. The compilation of videos shows her family getting up at 5am with her mom in the back of the car. Regina and her family were videoed journeying into Tijuana and spending time in the airport together before her flight. 'She made this decision months ago and even though it breaks my heart, I'd rather see her leave than live here in fear,' Ear wrote on Instagram. 'She is the most Americanized person I know and a total diva! She has spent most of her life in the US, so this is going to be a huge adjustment for her.' Regina was seen tearfully hugging her family members in heartbreaking moments throughout the video as they said goodbye. 'I just hugged her so close to me,' Ear told KTLA 5. 'I kissed her. I kept telling her, "Don't worry, Mom. I'm going to see you very soon".' After landing in Mexico, Regina was able to see her mother for the first time in 22 years. A father-of-four self-deported to Mexico with his American wife and four US born children due to the same fears harbored by Regina and her family. Cenobio Feliciano-Galeana crossed into the United States illegally when he was 18, and since then has built his life in America. But despite his children and his wife, he was unable to obtain citizenship or a green card. Now, following the ruthless crackdown on illegal immigrants and the looming threat of ICE agents, Cenobio made the decision to self-deport. At the end of the year, Ashlee, Cenobio's wife, plans to move with her four children to a country they have never known, just to keep the family together. Since they began their relationship, Ashlee says she and her family have been trying to get Cenobio through the process to gain legal status in the U.S., with no luck. Several lawyers and thousands of dollars later, she says not even being married to a U.S. citizen helps Cenobio's cause. 'If I had a penny for every time somebody has said that, I'd have the money to pay for those lawyers,' she said. She says the lawyers initially told them they had a fifty-fifty chance of getting Cenobio lawful permanent residence or citizenship. After the Trump administration was sworn in, she says she was told they had no chance. Their options were to stay and risk it—or have Cenobio self-deport and try again in 10 years. 'We have a six-year-old down to a nine-month-old baby. Ten years without a father? That is huge,' Ashlee said. For her, moving with him is the only option. Staying behind in the U.S. was out of the question. 'Wait for one day them to come into my home and take my husband away like a criminal and have my kids have to see that. And I decided that was not a choice I was willing to live with,' she said. Ashlee says Cenobio never committed a crime. His name doesn't bring anything up in the Utah court system. His only offense was being caught at the border twice and crossing illegally. That itself is a crime—one that Ashlee acknowledges but doesn't believe should be a life sentence. 'He was born on the wrong side of a line. He came here because he was starving. You know, what would you do if he truly went days without eating, starving? Where would your desperation lead you?' she said. The Trump Administration has heavily pushed for any illegal immigrants in the United States to self-deport, instead of being detained by ICE officials. United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem gave a stern warning to any undocumented immigrants in an advertisement pushing the deportations and arrests of illegal immigrants. 'Leave now. If you don't, we will find you and deport you,' Noem said. 'You will never return.' Self-deportation typically allows an individual to reenter the United States without the bans that follow from an official deportation. According to ICE, a bar on reentry for a specific period of time can be imposed once proceedings before a Department of Justice immigration judge take place. 'ICE may agree to seek dismissal of removal proceedings if you prove you left the US on your own - and that way, you may be able to avoid getting a final order of removal [and the negative consequences that come with it],' the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement website said. The reentry ban can range from five to twenty years depending on the severity of the crime. Individuals who were removed after a short unlawful stay in the US can face a ban of five years, while repeat offenders who have been removed multiple times can face around a twenty year ban.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Southern California grandmother self-deports to Mexico, leaving family behind
Loved ones are heartbroken after a grandmother chose to self-deport to Mexico, leaving her family behind after living in Southern California for 36 years. The woman, identified only as Regina, is a 51-year-old mother and grandmother who has lived in South Los Angeles since 1989. While working to gain citizenship in the U.S., she raised a family and was employed as a garment worker in L.A.'s Fashion District. As the Trump administration began increasing its immigration enforcement efforts, Julie Ear said her mother grew frightened over what her future would look like. 'She was afraid they would come to her house,' Ear told KTLA's Sandra Mitchell. 'She was afraid to drive, to be pulled over and taken in.' Wanting to be in control of her life, Regina made the decision to self-deport. On June 7, the family drove to Tijuana, Mexico, and said goodbye to Regina as she boarded a one-way flight to Mexico City. Ear documented her mother's self-deportation journey and posted a video of their experience on social media. The video went viral and has since been viewed millions of times. Regina leaves behind three children and three grandchildren. 'The worst part was saying goodbye to her kids and grandchildren,' Ear said. 'That was the hardest part for her.' Ear said her mother did not want to take advantage of the Trump administration's Project Homecoming, a program that offered those who self-deported a $1,000 stipend and a free outbound flight. 'It honestly feels like a trap,' she said. '[Especially] once we give up that control to somebody else, to the government that is obviously not on our side.' After landing in Mexico, Regina reunited with her own mother, marking the first time they've been together in 22 years. A video of their emotional reunion was posted online and has been viewed by many who were invested in her journey. 'It's been very overwhelming,' Ear said of the social media attention her videos have received. Ear said saying goodbye to her mother was heartbreaking, but she's trying to stay positive and focus on taking care of herself and her family members. 'I just hugged her so close to me,' Julie said. 'I kissed her. I kept telling her, 'Don't worry, Mom. I'm going to go see you very soon.'' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
