Celeste left Peru for the U.S. when she was just 19, overstaying her tourist visa. She studied graphic design back home but couldn’t find work in her field without the right papers.
So, she took up cleaning hotel rooms and offices in Los Angeles to make ends meet. Over the years, she built a life, made friends, and even enrolled in courses at a community college. She paid her taxes, hoping for a chance to legalize her status one day.
But as time passed and reforms that could have helped her gain legal status never materialized, Celeste watched as her American dream slowly unraveled. When President Trump began his second term, her fears grew.
The news reports of undocumented immigrants being deported, often in humiliating conditions, left her feeling vulnerable. The idea of being forcibly removed, without even the time to pack up or say goodbye, terrified her.
Celeste has made the difficult decision to return to Peru by the end of the year. She plans to continue her work cleaning offices for a few more months, saving every penny.
But even as she prepares to leave, she feels exposed and nervous. She avoids places she once loved, like restaurants and hiking trails, and she’s stopped enrolling in online courses for fear of sharing her personal information.
“The fear that they could grab you is always there,” said Celeste, who asked not to use her full name to protect her privacy.
President Trump came into his second term with promises to carry out the largest deportation effort in U.S. history. His administration, originally focused on deporting undocumented immigrants who committed violent crimes, soon expanded its efforts. It became clear that the administration considered anyone in the U.S. without legal status to be a criminal.
To encourage immigrants to leave voluntarily, the government has used various methods. Trump’s administration launched the CBP Home app, a replacement for the Biden administration’s CBP One app, which was designed to help immigrants apply for asylum.
The new app allows immigrants to notify authorities if they intend to leave the country. But it hasn’t been clear how many people have used it.
Last month, the Department of Homeland Security ran an ad campaign warning undocumented immigrants to leave or face deportation. In an ad, Secretary Kristi Noem said, “If you don’t, we will find you and we will deport you.” Trump also revealed plans to offer a stipend and an airplane ticket to immigrants who decide to self-deport.
But the administration hasn’t stopped at undocumented immigrants. It’s also targeting people who entered the U.S. legally under temporary status.
Recently, migrants who used the CBP One app to apply for asylum were notified that their temporary legal status was revoked and they should leave immediately.
The images of deported immigrants, some of whom were shackled and sent to notorious prisons like one in El Salvador, have only added to the fear. In one case, the Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport Venezuelan nationals, claiming they were all gang members. This tactic has caused alarm in immigrant communities across the country.
Kevin Johnson, a professor of law at UC Davis, noted that the administration’s tactics are meant to create fear among immigrants. “It’s designed to show immigrants, ‘We’re out to get you,’” he said.
Though it’s difficult to determine exactly how many people are choosing to leave, immigrant advocates are hearing more from individuals and families asking questions about how to return to their home countries.
Luz Gallegos, executive director of TODEC Legal Center in California, said her team has been fielding daily inquiries from people considering leaving. They’re asking about logistics, like whether they can bring their cars or what will happen to their children’s education.
The term “self-deportation” has been around for years, first suggested during the 2012 Republican primary by Mitt Romney.
He proposed that undocumented immigrants could be pushed to leave by making it difficult for them to find work in the U.S. The idea was controversial at the time, but now, it’s gaining more attention.
NumbersUSA, a group advocating for immigration reform, believes encouraging immigrants to return to their home countries is key to reducing the unauthorized immigrant population.
According to Eric Ruark, the group’s research director, one way to encourage self-deportation is by requiring employers to use the E-Verify system to ensure workers are legally allowed to work in the U.S.
For Elena, a Mexican immigrant who has lived in the U.S. for nearly 20 years, the decision to leave has already been made. She and her husband, both in their 50s, will be returning to their homeland in Chiapas by Christmas.
Elena has health issues that have made working difficult in recent years, and while they have nearly five acres of land in Mexico, she’s dreading leaving behind her children and grandchildren in California.
“I think about my grandchildren, and I cry, I suffer,” she said. “I love them so much. Who is going to care for them like their grandmother?”
Maria, another Mexican immigrant living in California, is also preparing to self-deport. After 30 years in the U.S., she’s decided to move back to Michoacán, where she plans to continue her food business. Maria fears being detained and deported without notice, which has made her anxious to finalize her plans to leave.
“It’s as if I’m being divided into two parts,” Maria said. “I haven’t been happy here, and I won’t be happy there.”
As the debate over immigration continues, many in the immigrant community are finding themselves facing a tough choice: stay and risk deportation, or leave voluntarily and try to rebuild their lives in their home countries, even if it means leaving behind everything they’ve worked for.