Project

Beyond The Border

When Elizabeth Valdez followed her deported husband, Rafael, to Mexico with their two daughters, many friends thought she was making an irresponsible choice for her children—both, like Valdez, are American-born.

But how much did those friends know about what life would be like in Mexico? Probably, like most in the U.S., very little.

Spending time with the Valdezes and other families in Zacatecas, The Seattle Times delves into a subject rarely explored on this side of the border: What happens after deportation? The answers sometimes defy stereotype.