More Mexicans in San Diego are choosing to self-deport. Some told Telemundo20 that this is due to fear of the immigration raids taking place in the country.
However, this decision comes with a moving process, which involves taking their life’s belongings back to Mexico.
“I’m grateful to this country, which also opened its doors to me, but that’s it, that’s over,” said María, who lives in City Heights.
She indicated that after 24 years of living in the US, she is going back to Guerrero, Mexico. María said that the pressure of deportation and the fear of her son, who suffers from schizophrenia, encountering immigration agents are contributing factors.
“He’s afraid because he sees immigration officials, so with everything that’s happening, I’m also worried that they’ll beat him, that they’ll arrest him badly,” María added.
The Mexican Consulate in San Diego announced options for returning Mexicans to request the “Household Goods” program.
“Household goods are an opportunity for any Mexican citizen to take all their belongings and household items back to Mexico when they return, whether voluntarily or after deportation. What do I mean by that? Appliances, furniture, work equipment, and artwork. A list is then compiled,” explained Alicia Kerber-Palma, Consul General of Mexico in San Diego.
She detailed that the list of belongings must be approved by federal authorities. The process can be completed free of charge at www.menajedomestico.gob.mx, although it may take longer. Alternatively, there is the option to pay $146 directly at Mexican consulates in the U.S. to expedite the process.
So far this year, the Mexican Consulate in San Diego has processed 21 household goods import/export permits: nine in person and 12 online. These figures show a clear increase compared to 2015, when only 12 cases were reported for the entire year.
“There had been a steady upward trend, especially due to the current political climate. Last year we had more permits issued here at the consulate, but this year we have seen more Mexican nationals using the online system to process their household goods imports,” the Consul noted.
The lack of awareness among Mexicans in the United States regarding the process often leads to them facing tax charges at Mexican customs.
“You arrive at customs, you arrive in Mexico, and Mexico embraces you by confiscating everything that belongs to you, because they don’t understand that you’re repatriating yourself, or that your husband was repatriated yesterday, and that’s why you and your whole family are returning today,” said Maribel Solache, a migrant congresswoman in Mexico.
This is exactly what Maribel experienced. She recounted that when she returned to Mexico, the complexity of the process led her to find other ways to smuggle her belongings across the border.
“Do you know what I did? I paid some fellow Oaxacans who bring things to Mexico. They brought me my nine boxes. One box contained my books and papers, and the other eight contained my clothes and shoes,” she explained.
Maria did the same. She said she would only take a few clothes for herself and her son. However, she added that self-deportation is a reality she and her friends have experienced in San Diego.
“I have several friends, two of whom have already left, and some even went to Tijuana because they realized things weren’t good enough anymore. They deported themselves because things are really bad,” María said.
The Mexican Consulate in San Diego said that the most common belongings they’ve seen Mexicans bringing in are televisions, video games, toys, and appliances.
The documents required for the household goods application and the requirements that must be presented in person include:
Minimum stay of six months in the U.S.
INE (National Electoral Institute ID), Passport, or Consular ID.
Application form.
List of all belongings and their prices.
What items are considered household goods?
Furniture: living room sets, dining room sets, beds, shelves.
Clothing and personal effects.
Appliances: refrigerators, microwave ovens, blenders.
Books, paintings, kitchenware, and decorative items.
Tools for professional use (provided they don’t constitute a complete workshop). Items needed to carry out activities in media such as journalism, radio and television.
Source: telemundo20
