She lived in the United States for 36 years. She worked 12-hour shifts in Los Angeles garment factories. She paid taxes, raised three American children, and saw her grandchildren grow up in the sun of Southern California. Then, in June 2025, Regina Higuera packed a few bags and left it all behind.
She didn't wait for a knock on the door. She didn't wait for a court order or a set of handcuffs. Regina Higuera chose self-deportation to Mexico because she was tired of feeling like a prisoner in her own house.
It's a story that sounds like a headline, but for the Higuera family, it’s a living, breathing reality that started when Regina was just 15 years old. Back then, she crossed the border with a simple plan: work hard, save some cash, and go home. Life, as it usually does, had other ideas. She met her husband. She built a life. But as the political temperature in the U.S. hit a boiling point in early 2025, the risk of staying became heavier than the pain of leaving.
The Reality of Regina Higuera and Self-Deportation to Mexico
Honestly, the word "choice" feels a bit complicated here. Regina Higuera self-deportation to Mexico wasn't exactly a vacation. It was a calculated move to maintain some shred of control. Her daughter, Julie Ear, has been pretty vocal on social media about the whole ordeal, explaining that her mom just couldn't handle the "what-ifs" anymore. What if she got pulled over? What if ICE showed up at the garment factory? What if she disappeared into the system and her kids didn't know where she was for weeks?
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That last one isn't just a paranoid thought. It's something they’ve seen happen to friends.
By choosing to leave on her own terms, Regina avoided the trauma of a forced removal. She avoided the detention centers. Instead of being escorted by agents, she was driven to the border by her family. They went to Tijuana, where she could fly out of TIJ International Airport to Mexico City and then make the five-hour trek to her hometown in Guerrero. It was a goodbye on her timeline, even if it was a goodbye she never wanted to say.
Why "Self-Deportation" is Surging Now
You’ve probably heard the term more often lately. In early 2025, the U.S. government ramped up enforcement significantly. We’re talking about a stated goal of thousands of arrests per day. For people like Regina, who had an expired work permit and no clear path to citizenship because legal fees were simply too high, the walls started closing in.
She was 51. She had no criminal record. She had spent 36 years contributing to an economy that, in the end, didn't offer her a seat at the table.
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There's a program called "Project Homecoming" that the administration pushed—offering free flights and even a $1,000 incentive for people to leave voluntarily. Interestingly, Regina didn't take it. She didn't want to be a "walking advertisement" for the policy. She didn't want her departure to be used as a success metric for a system she felt was tearing her family apart.
The Life Left Behind in Highland Park
Highland Park in Los Angeles is a vibrant place, but for Regina, it had become a cage. She stopped running errands. She stopped going to the park. Julie Ear mentioned in interviews that her mom felt like she was constantly looking over her shoulder. Think about that for a second: three and a half decades in a country, and you're afraid to go to the grocery store.
Her husband of 25 years stayed behind. Her three children, all U.S. citizens, stayed behind.
The family celebrated Father's Day in 2025 without her for the first time. It felt "off," as Julie put it. There’s this weird cultural limbo that happens when a family is split across a border like this. Regina is back in Guerrero, a place she hadn't seen in over 20 years. She’s reunited with her own mother—a silver lining in a very dark cloud—but she’s also struggling. The Mexico she left as a teenager isn't the Mexico she returned to as a grandmother.
Facts vs. Fiction: What You Need to Know
A lot of people think undocumented residents are just "draining the system." The Regina Higuera case highlights the exact opposite.
- Taxes: She paid them for decades.
- Benefits: She never qualified for food stamps, a 401(k), or a pension.
- Work Ethic: 12-hour shifts, six days a week, since age 15.
- Legal Attempt: The family tried to fix her status, but the costs were prohibitive.
It’s easy to look at immigration as a set of numbers or a policy debate. But when you look at the Higuera family, it’s about a woman who decided that being "free" in a town she barely remembers was better than being a "prisoner" in the city she helped build.
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Adjusting to a New (Old) Life in Guerrero
Regina actually had a bit of a head start. She had inherited some land and had been slowly building a small two-bedroom house in Guerrero over the years. She thought she’d move there when she retired—maybe in her late 60s. The political climate just pushed the "fast-forward" button on that plan by about 15 years.
She’s safe now. She’s not stressed about raids. But she’s lonely.
The cultural gap is real. When you spend your entire adult life in L.A., the rhythm of rural Mexico is a shock to the system. She talks to her kids every day via text and video calls, but as Julie says, "sometimes I forget she's so far... but then that is when the family thing happens, and I’m like, 'Oh my God, you're actually gone.'"
What This Means for Other Families
Regina Higuera's story isn't an isolated incident. Thousands are weighing the same options. If you or someone you know is navigating this, there are a few practical realities to face based on the Higuera family's experience:
- Financial Preparation: Regina was only able to do this because she had a home and family waiting in Mexico. Without a landing pad, self-deportation can lead to immediate homelessness.
- Legal Advice: Before making a move, consult with immigration experts. Sometimes there are stay-of-removal options or specific visa categories (like U-visas or T-visas) people don't know they qualify for.
- Mental Health: The trauma of "voluntary" departure is immense. Support networks and community groups are essential to deal with the guilt and separation anxiety that follows.
- Control the Narrative: Like Regina, you don't have to be a pawn for government programs. You can choose how and when you leave, which can preserve some dignity in a situation that often feels undignified.
Regina’s daughter continues to use her platform to highlight these "injustices," as she calls them. She isn't trying to tell everyone to leave. She’s just trying to show what happens when the pressure becomes too much to bear.
Practical Next Steps:
If you are tracking cases like this for legal or advocacy reasons, focus on local grassroots organizations in Los Angeles and Tijuana that provide transition support. For those looking to support the Higuera family specifically, Julie Ear often shares updates and resources through her social media channels. Understanding the nuances of "Project Homecoming" versus independent self-deportation is key to seeing the full picture of the 2026 immigration landscape.