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Denied visas and stigma: Challenges faced by returnees from the US to Mexico
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Daniel Zamora at the U.S.-Mexico border wall in 2022.
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Topline:
Part 3 of Imperfect Paradise: Return to Mexico follows Daniel Zamora as he rebuilds his life in Mexico after deportation — getting a new job as a teacher, buying a home, finding a new partner and reclaiming Mexico as his homeland.
Freedom of movement: Despite embracing Mexico, Zamora still faces challenges as a returnee. The biggest one is that he hasn’t been able to get a visa to the U.S. His parents, who are undocumented and living in Los Angeles, haven’t seen Zamora in nearly 15 years.
“That's the only reason why I want that visa, to have complete freedom,” Zamora said. “I don't want to go back to work in the US. I don't want to live in the U.S. I just want my freedom back.”
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Freedom of movement is something a lot of returnee activists in Mexico are fighting for. They want it to be easier for returnees to get tourist visas to visit the U.S.
Other challenges facing returnees: The Mexican census puts the number of people returned from the U.S. at nearly 300,000 between 2015-2020. Activists and scholars told us that common challenges for transitioning returnees include navigating Mexico’s bureaucracy, getting U.S. degrees recognized and finding jobs. Scholars also told us there can be stigma attached to returnees — that some assume people who’ve been deported committed crimes — which can make transition more difficult.
How can I listen? Here's Part 3:
Listen
• 36:36
Listen
• 36:36
Return to Mexico: Part 3
Unable to return to the U.S., Daniel Zamora struggles to build a life in Mexico, until a trip abroad suddenly upends his perspective. Lorena Ríos reports.
New episodes of Imperfect Paradise: Return to Mexico publish Wednesdays wherever you get your podcasts, on LAist.com, and on broadcast at LAist 89.3 the following Sunday.
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