Wife Was in the US Legally. He was fired anyway

That was Thursday, February 19, around 8:30 in the morning. I was arrested on February 18, around 11:30, so it took less than 24 hours to deport me.

My daughter was trying to find me in the (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) tracker, the ICE tracker, and she couldn’t find me there the whole time I moved to San Ysidro.

What happened when you arrived in Mexico?

When I got to Tijuana, they handed us over to (the Mexican government) and they took us to the shelter where the Mexican government took us. They helped us figure out how to return to our village. But I have a friend who has a house in Tijuana, and he has relatives there, so I didn’t have to stay in the house until I got to my hometown, in Puebla, Mexico.

How long were you in Mexico before returning to the US?

Forty days.

Did your life seem like it was going backwards?

I am an area manager for several hotels, and I was able to return to my job.

When I came back I asked to rest for a few weeks, even though I was gone, because I felt like I was waking up from a dream. I had to realize that I was back home. I asked my daughter to do housework because she couldn’t afford to pay the bills. So when I returned to the house, I saw that it was packed and ready to go, which disappointed me.

It is me and my daughter, and I am the head of the family, the only beneficiary for me and her. I am currently facing difficulties because I am not paying the rent. I’m trying to stay strong. I’m trying to take whatever, extra shifts or whatever, extra work, I can do to get the money.

It put me in a very bad situation right now, the struggles are very difficult.

The trial court ruled that your eviction was illegal. Does that give you a sense of security right now?

I feel like it’s all up in the air. You know the uncertainty, the frustration, the anxiety, the fear of being separated from my daughter again and… It’s very difficult.

Considering your experience, are you free to continue trying to get your green card, or are these steps you need to contact the government?

I have to. It’s something I don’t want to give up. I want to take it a step further to change the look. I truly believe that I have what it takes to be a resident.

I have lived 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 illegal. I have a daughter who is a US citizen and I would not ask her to go to another country and start her life over again like I did.