By Alfonso Sierra / El Popular
BAKERSFIELD, CA – A couple who has lived in the city of Bakersfield for 35 years have decided to face one of their worst nightmares. Having to leave the United States for fear of being detained and separated from loved ones by force.
Daniel and Alberta Herrera entered the United States in 1990 seeking a new life for themselves and their family. Daniel, 73, worked in agriculture, picking oranges, lemons, and other crops in the Central Valley, while his wife, 70, stayed home and raised their nine children and subsequently helped with their grandchildren. Both are undocumented.
Due to the new broad and extreme immigration policies under the Trump administration, they have chosen to self-deport for fear of having to be arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and sent to a processing center where they would be separated, detained, and eventually deported.
"We're not good here! We are not happy being in the situation that we are in. Fear and insecurity are all we have.” Alberta told El Popular during an interview in the modest home they share with a son in east Bakersfield.
Daniel was injured while working the citrus crops and is unable to work. "I haven't worked since April, we have children that help, but they already have families and their own lives to live. We do not want to be a burden on them." Stated Daniel.
In early January, Border Patrol agents conducted a massive immigration enforcement operation in Kern County. They targeted farmworkers, day laborers and they stopped and detained anyone who they suspected of being undocumented. Operation “Return to Sender” provided a glimpse of what was to come under the new administration. Trump was sworn in days later and the ICE raids have become daily occurrences in cities across the country.
Daniel was convinced by their children not to continue to go to work since ICE agents had detained several farmworkers.
Since Daniel stopped working he shared that he has experience depression and anxiety, the couple expressed the fear that is exacerbated by the constant images of ICE agents in masks dragging people for their homes and vehicles.
The fear and the situation they are in of not being able to provide for themselves has been the motivation to leave.
"I tried to obtain legal status during the amnesty in the 1990’s, but since I didn't have my birth certificate, it couldn't be done," said Don Daniel.
They have tried again to legalize their status with the help of an immigration attorney who told them that there was no relief or waivers currently possible for them and that it would be better if they stayed to see if the laws changed, shortly after indicating that they, because of their age, would not be targeted by immigration authorities. They decided it was not worth staying under these conditions.
Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Florida) introduced the Dignity Act of 2025 (H.R. 4393) in the U.S. House of Representatives on July 15, 2025, a bipartisan effort to strengthen border security in the United States, provide undocumented individuals with an opportunity to obtain legal status if they meet certain requirements. This legislation is pending, and it is unknow if it will eventually become law under this administration.
In a press release dated December 5, 2025, Salazar stated that momentum in congress has gained momentum, surpassing 25 cospo0nsors and 50 endorsements nationwide.
“Momentum is growing. With six new sponsors joining the Dignity Act this week, we are proving once again that immigration reform is possible if Congress has the courage to act,” said Rep. María Elvira Salazar.“Every day we wait, the situation gets worse, our workforce remains under pressure, employers struggle to hire, and millions of long-term immigrants who power our economy remain unable to fully contribute. We cannot afford more delay. The time for excuses is over. The time for the Dignity Act is now.”
Daniel Herrera added that due to the policies of the current administration, they no longer want to return to live in the United States once they leave, they can no longer work, and they never depended on anyone or any public assistance. He only wishes they could have the ability to obtain a visa in the future to be able to visit his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Although self-deportation or voluntary departure seems like an alternative to forced deportation, it does not eliminate the legal consequences and can affect future re-entries, unless an official program such as CBP Home is used that allows you to register your departure and obtain certain benefits, such as financial assistance for travel. However, self-deportation brings worse consequences compared to Voluntary Departure and both have their benefits and disadvantages.
Homeland Security has been offering a $3,000 incentive for “illegal aliens” to leave the country voluntarily through the end of 2025 via the CBP app. Accoring to DHS “Illegal aliens who sign up to self-deport through the CBP Home app by the end of the year will receive a $3,000 stipend in addition to a free flight home. Using the CBP Home app also qualifies recipients for forgiveness of any civil fines or penalties for failing to depart the country.”
What is Voluntary Departure?:
It is a legal permit, granted by an immigration judge for the person to leave the country on their own, within a certain period (up to 120 days) and paying their own ticket, without a formal deportation order being issued.
The benefits include avoiding having a deportation order on ones immigration records, allowing you to apply for a visa to return legally faster in the future. And it offers more dignity and control over the exit
However, the disadvantages include that the person must give up the right to appeal the judge's decision or argue the case in court; Even so, the "bars" of prohibition for reentry can be applied, that is, it can be a mandatory period of 5, 10, or 20 years, depending on several factors, which an attorney must evaluate.
What is Self-Deportation?
This process is the one that has the greatest implication, since it is not the same as legal voluntary departure. This occurs when the person simply leaves without going through the judicial process, but is considered deported and is subject to the harshest penalties, including a ban on re-entering the country permanently.
Self-deportation occurs when there is Fear, Uncertainty, and Pressure.
Fear of being arrested by ICE. Political uncertainty or tightening of immigration laws. Feeling pressured by fear-mongering policies and enforcement.
Key points to consider:
It's not a "clean slate": Going out on your own doesn't always exempt you from immigration sanctions (punishments of 3-10 years of the time of illegality).
Legal advice is crucial: It is critical to consult an immigration attorney to understand the consequences and whether a "voluntary departure" program is right for you, as it may limit future options.
In short, self-deportation is a personal decision to leave rather than be forced, but it can have serious implications that require legal advice to manage the risks and benefits, especially with current government programs.
The couple has a departure date of January 8, 2026, where one of their children will take them to Tijuana and then on to the town of Silacayoapam, Oaxaca, one of the municipalities in the Mixtec region where they have built a modest house that will become their new home.
Daniel and Alberta leave behind 9 children, 29 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren in Bakersfield.
Aquí Estamos/Here We Stand is a collaborative reporting project of American Community Media and community media outlets across California exploring the impacts of the Trump Administration’s anti-immigrant crackdown in rural and urban communities across the state and the ways in which these same communities are organizing in response. Visit https://americancommunitymedia.org/here-we-stand/
Aquí Estamos/Here We Stand es un proyecto colaborativo de reportaje de American Community Media y medios comunitarios a través de California que explora los impactos de la represión antiinmigrante de la Administración Trump en comunidades rurales y urbanas de todo el estado y las formas en que estas mismas comunidades se están organizando en respuesta. Visita https://americancommunitymedia.org/here-we-stand/