Deported TikTokers from the United States are turning their screens into lifelines, documenting their lives after deportation.
Many were forced out of the country years ago under different administrations, but their struggles now reveal what deportation may look and sound like.
Some of the TikTok users, who were deported from the U.S., now gather in person in Mexico. When their new life can be unsettling, the in-person connections help them bond through their struggles.
“We want to bring awareness. This is what happens after,” said Annie Garcia, who was deported in 2018. “There’s a community. There’s support. But it’s not the end.”
Garcia, a mother of five, is now a law student in Mexico, sharing her struggles on social media. She admitted that it took years of posting online to feel a sense of community.
“It wasn’t until this group was formed that I felt like I found my place,” she said.
Olga Mijangos is another TikToker who is documenting post-deportation life. The 32-year-old mother of three was deported last year after living nearly three decades in the U.S. She said she’s still struggling.
“Ot of this group, I think I’m very sad, very unhappy about things,” she said.
Her first TikTok about deportation went viral. Millions of views, but Mijangos said clicks don’t pay the bills.
For her, the posts are about surviving trauma, family separation and starting over with nothing.
“It’s easy to see us at the beach and think it’s fine. But it doesn’t show the rawness behind it,” Garcia added.
That rawness may be one of the reasons that a man named Pedro Colorado committed suicide a few days after self-drporting to Mexico. His family said he fought depression after the immigration operations in the U.S. and self-deporting to Mexico.
“Deportation is a death sentence for some of us. Not all of us make it down here,” Garcia said.
Mijangos’ also continued to struggle with depression as she explained she recently had a “complete breakdown.”
“I don’t want to paint a pretty picture. Things aren’t perfect. But I’m healing,” she said.
As individually and collectively the deported TikTokers navigate their new life, they hope to overcome the permanent scars of deportation.
“The greatest gift anyone can give me is a prayer,” Mijangos said.
Allison Craig is a passionate sports writer and analyst with a deep love for game strategies, player performances, and the latest trends in the sports world. With years of experience covering football, basketball, tennis, and more, she delivers insightful analysis and engaging content for sports enthusiasts.
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