50-year-old deported to Mexico, rendered stateless when Guatemala refuses to accept him
Feb 2026 · Villahermosa, MX, Guatemala
Mauricio De Leon, 50, was born in Guatemala and taken to the United States by his mother at age one. He grew up in the foster system in Long Beach after his mother lost custody. Given a deportation order in 2007 after serving time for drug trafficking, he was deported to Mexico last year. Mexico attempted to return him to Guatemala, but Guatemala said it had no record of him, leaving him essentially stateless. He survives on savings from his work as a truck driver in California.
Sources
Related incidents
- 161 Haitians deported to Cap-Haïtien after TPS protections endAug 21, 2026
- Venezuelan man deported after Missouri traffic stop, family now strugglingAug 21, 2026 · Christian County, MO
- Venezuelan man deported to Liberia despite pending habeas caseAug 21, 2026 · TX
- Man deported to Mexico after 30 years in the US finds refuge in 'Little LA'Aug 21, 2026 · Los Angeles, CA
- US sends nearly 2,300 Mexican deportees through Guatemala, Honduras to bypass direct returnsAug 21, 2026
- Oceanside man killed in Tijuana months after ICE deportationAug 21, 2026 · Oceanside, CA