Marilú Montalvo returns to the United States to see her children 14 years after being deported

• Marilú Montalvo Returns After 14 Years
• Unjust and Painful Deportation
• Fighting to Reunite with Her Children

Marilú Montalvo, a 40-year-old woman originally from Mexico City, finally returned to the United States this Monday to reunite with her children after 14 years of separation.

Visibly emotional and carrying her luggage, she crossed the San Ysidro border alone, marking the end of a long battle that began when she was deported in 2010.

She recalled the painful moment when her ex-husband and his mistress reported her to immigration authorities, setting off a chain of events that led to her forced deportation.

In the midst of her struggle and grief, she described the feeling of being deported as: «You’re dead inside, but with a glimmer of hope.»

Marilú Montalvo: The Pain of Deportation and Forced Separation

@frontera.info #Tijuana | Deported mother returns to the U.S. to be with her children. After more than a decade, Marilú Montalvo crossed the San Ysidro border with proper documentation to reunite with her children. After six years of legal procedures, she obtained a U visa as a survivor of domestic violence. Although excited, she confesses her fear of regaining her children’s love, as they were still small when she last saw them.♬ Original sound – borderinfo

Marilú described her ordeal, saying: «It’s very difficult; you’re dead inside, but with a hope buried deep within you. You don’t enjoy anything, you’re never truly happy. You constantly live in fear—fear of not being able to protect, love, or care for your children. It’s extremely painful.»

She also recalled the tragic day she was deported, which coincided with her daughter’s birthday. Immigration officers, dressed in plain clothes, stormed into her home and delivered the shocking news:

«They told me I was going to be deported, that I should call my children’s father so he could pick them up, because I was being removed from the country. They took my baby, who was only two years old at the time, handed the children over to him, and deported me. It felt like dying while still alive.»

Over the years, Marilú barely saw her children, describing their brief secret meetings as heartbreaking.

«The first time I saw them again was three years later, right here at this same border crossing. My baby was already five, and my daughter was nine. The next time, my son was 13 and my daughter 17. Now, my son is 16, and my daughter is about to turn 19.»

Living as a deported mother, she emphasized the emotional toll of being stigmatized and separated from her family. «You’re dead inside, but with a small hope buried within. You don’t enjoy life. You’re not truly happy.»

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Her return was made possible through Dreamers Moms, an organization led by activist Yolanda Varona. They helped her connect with a lawyer and secure a U visa, a special visa for survivors of domestic violence.

With determination, Marilú fought relentlessly, stating: «I never gave up. A mother will fight through anything—against the wind, the tide, and all obstacles.»

Challenges of Rebuilding Family Bonds

«Honestly, I feel like it was completely illegal because the officers weren’t even immigration agents. But they told me that they got a call saying I was undocumented, and that they would deport me immediately. They told me to call my children’s father so he could take them, while I was being removed.»

Now, with her U visa valid for four years, Marilú Montalvo intends to apply for permanent residency to ensure she never loses her children again.

As she stood at the border, her emotions were a mix of nerves and joy. «Thank God, I’m here. I’m alive, and God granted me this miracle of returning. I know I can’t get back the time I lost. Their childhood is gone.»

«Honestly, I don’t even know how to talk to them anymore. In my head, I still picture them as babies.»*

SOURCE: EFE / TELEMUNDO

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