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Reflections of the Mindful — A publication designed for the writer to reflect, the reader to be inspired, the creatives to find their muses.

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Immigration

So Now People Are Sneaking Out of the United States

What have we become?

4 min readMay 13, 2025

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People running for their lives. Deportation, Trump, Republicans
Image source: adobestock.com / Author’s subscription

Yes, people are sneaking out, not into the USA.

My Mexican friend Jose Arredondo,* who is a dual Mexican/American citizen, tells me that there is now a booming business sneaking people out of the United States.

We graduated with engineering degrees from the University of Illinois and got jobs at the same company. We saved money by sharing a temporary company apartment for 60 days instead of individual flats. Jose and I spent many nights discussing what we wanted for ourselves and our families. We became friends.

He is so paranoid about the US government spying on Americans that he and his wife use burner phones. Jose will not tell me where he is. He stated he, his wife, his kids, and his wife's undocumented parents are leaving for Mexico. Her parents lived and worked undocumented in the USA for four decades. They are moving back to Mexico permanently. He found someone to sneak them out quietly. It is costing him to do so.

Trump is offering to pay people to self-deport, but Jose doesn't trust our government enough to use that program. I don't blame him.

His in-laws worked hard, paid taxes, owned their American home, and cars. They had car, life, and…

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Published in Contemplate

Reflections of the Mindful — A publication designed for the writer to reflect, the reader to be inspired, the creatives to find their muses.

Toni Crowe
Toni Crowe

Written by Toni Crowe

Sharing the hard lessons I've learned in life. Best-selling author. Humorist. Editor. Writing whatever interests me . Owner: No Air. Editor:MuddyUm.

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