Mixed status LA couple self-deports, fearing husband’s detention

Alfredo Linares and his wife, who is American, departed Culver City, California, eight weeks ago due to concerns of being arrested, detained, and deported. Linares, who is undocumented, expressed his mixed emotions on leaving the United States after 20 years, opting for self-deportation to Mexico to avoid potential encounters with ICE agents. Having immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager without legal status, Linares had built a successful career in the food industry, culminating in a position as a cook at a Michelin-star restaurant. Despite marrying his wife Raegan Kline in the hopes of rectifying his immigration status, the couple decided to leave Los Angeles on their own terms to avoid the uncertainty of deportation under the Trump administration. They now find themselves in Puerto Vallarta, hoping for a new beginning where they feel safe and free. While Linares remains optimistic about their future in Mexico, he admits to feeling like a stranger in his own country and struggles with the decision to leave the U.S. Kline, on the other hand, reflects on her commitment to stay and fight but is now focused on their new life together in Mexico.