California DACA Recipient Deported by Trump Administration Returns Home

Maria de Jesús Estrada Juárez reunited with her daughter after a judge ordered her return from Mexico.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 7:05pm

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Maria de Jesús Estrada Juárez, a 42-year-old California woman who had lived in the U.S. for 27 years, was deported to Mexico by the Trump administration in February despite being a DACA recipient. After a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order, Estrada Juárez was able to return home to Sacramento and reunite with her 22-year-old daughter.

Why it matters

Estrada Juárez's case highlights the ongoing challenges and uncertainty faced by DACA recipients, often referred to as 'Dreamers,' under the Trump administration's immigration policies. Her deportation despite DACA protections raises concerns about the need for more permanent legal status for this population.

The details

Estrada Juárez was among the hundreds of thousands of people shielded from deportation under the Obama-era DACA program. However, she was arrested by ICE and deported on February 18 due to a 1998 removal order from when she was a teenager. Her lawyer argues this order was not final. After spending weeks with relatives in Mexico, separated from her daughter, a federal judge ordered Estrada Juárez's return to the U.S., citing a 'flagrant violation' of her DACA protections and due process rights.

  • On February 18, Estrada Juárez was arrested by ICE and deported to Mexico.
  • On March 23, U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins issued a temporary restraining order giving the federal government 7 days to facilitate Estrada Juárez's return to the U.S.
  • On March 28, Estrada Juárez was reunited with her daughter in Sacramento.

The players

Maria de Jesús Estrada Juárez

A 42-year-old Mexican citizen who had lived in the U.S. for 27 years and was a DACA recipient before being deported by the Trump administration.

Damaris Bello

Estrada Juárez's 22-year-old daughter who was reunited with her mother after her return from Mexico.

Dena Coggins

A U.S. District Judge appointed by President Biden who issued a temporary restraining order facilitating Estrada Juárez's return to the U.S.

Talia Inlender

The deputy director of the Center for Immigration Law and Policy at the UCLA School of Law who commented on the case.

Stacy Tolchin

An immigration attorney based in Pasadena who argued that DACA grants recipients a 'vested right to not be deported.'

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What they’re saying

“'It's hard to describe what it feels like to lose your mother so suddenly, especially when you believed she was safe. It was like grieving someone who was still alive.'”

— Damaris Bello, Estrada Juárez's 22-year-old daughter

“'DACA gives you a vested right to not be deported once it's granted. I really don't understand what they're doing.'”

— Stacy Tolchin, Immigration attorney

“'Having her back home means everything to me. It means we can begin to heal, to rebuild and to move forward together as a family.'”

— Damaris Bello, Estrada Juárez's 22-year-old daughter

What’s next

The Department of Homeland Security has indicated it will comply with the judge's order to return Estrada Juárez to the U.S., but it remains to be seen if the agency will appeal the ruling or take further action against her.

The takeaway

Estrada Juárez's case underscores the ongoing uncertainty and vulnerability faced by DACA recipients, even those who have lived in the U.S. for decades, under the shifting immigration policies of different administrations. Her return home highlights the importance of providing more permanent legal protections for Dreamers.