There is life and work after deportation: “The Mexican dream”

Adriana Guzmán

Fear, insecurity, and uncertainty are some of the feelings shared by the estimated 5 million undocumented mexican migrants residing in the United States due to the threat of deportation. However, it is not only them but also their families—whether they are “Dreamers,” U.S. citizens, or Green Card holders—who live with the fear of being separated from their loved ones.

Mexican entrepreneur Lizeth Cuara, the daughter of a migrant who grew up with limited resources and without the opportunity to finish high school, has personally experienced various social inequalities while living in the U.S. “Just for being latino, we don’t qualify for certain jobs, we get paid less even if we are bilingual, and we are given fewer opportunities in every way,” she asserts.

Despite the bleak outlook for deportees, Lizeth Cuara assures her fellow mexicans that there is indeed life and work outside of the United States.

Lizeth taught herself how to manufacture products, manage import logistics, and handle business operations by seeking help from experts, reading books, and using YouTube and Google. This knowledge enabled her to start selling used and returned Amazon products on eBay before launching her first online store.

After a traumatic childbirth experience that nearly cost her life, Lizeth was inspired to develop a postpartum care line, including underwear, postpartum fajas, creams, oils, and herbal baths to support a safe and natural recovery for mothers. She founded Misty Phases.

Lizeth Cuara found the mexican market to be the boost her business needed to thrive. Social media, especially TikTok, played a crucial role in building a supportive postpartum community that helped her to reach mothers who live in México.

“Our TikTok videos go viral several times a week, and many of them reach between 1 and 6 million views. I was surprised to discover that mexican mothers were paying over $65.00 in shipping costs to receive products from the U.S. to México,” she explains.

As the daughter of immigrants, Lizeth Cuara had the opportunity to obtain mexican citizenship, which allowed her to easily establish her business in México, open bank accounts, and pay taxes. Since the official launch of Misty Phases in México in 2023, inventory has sold out multiple times, leading them to operate through a pre-order model where customers wait up to two months to receive their orders.

“January 2025 was the first month we have ever been close to being semi fully stocked in México, and our sales for this market were just under $100,000 USD. We estimate that the total sales projection for this year in Mexico will exceed one million dollars. This opportunity has allowed us to create great job opportunities for bilingual speakers living in the country,” she explains.

“There is truly strong support among form our community in México, as well as a great commitment from the business sector and the mexican government to create various initiatives that ensure the well-being of migrants and facilitate their effective reintegration into the country’s economic and social life,” says Lizeth Cuara.

Among these strategies to support deported migrants from the United States is the “México Te Abraza” (México Embraces You) program, which includes a Paisano Welfare Card with 2,000 pesos for immediate expenses, access to health and social security services through the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), transportation to their home communities, inclusion in social programs such as pensions for senior citizens, assistance for people with disabilities, educational scholarships, and employment programs. Additionally, over 70 mexican companies have committed to generating around 50,000 jobs for repatriated migrants in sectors such as manufacturing, services, construction, and mining.

“I want to tell my fellow undocumented migrants and children of immigrants who are in fear of a possible deportation or willing self-deporting to avoid new immigration restrictions that it is not only possible to find a well-paying job in México, but it’s also possible to create a good business. there is life, and good life outside of the USA” Lizeth concludes.