'We cried together': Trump's deportation drive forces tough decisions for couples

Janie Pérez found it strange that her husband called her just a few minutes after leaving the house on his way to work.When she picked up the phone, she learned why."I think ICE is here," her husband, Alejandro Pérez, said, referring to agents from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency."We started praying," Janie recalls, while in the background she heard the immigration agents arresting him.At that moment, Janie - whose maiden name is Hughes - understood her life would change forever. But she did not imagine she would end up living in Mexico with her husband and their two young daughters.The American woman, who does not speak Spanish, admits it's been difficult to start from scratch in an unfamiliar country. She does not regret the move, however. "There is nothing more important than being together."These are the kinds of decisions being faced by families of mixed immigration status (one US citizen spouse and the other undocumented spouse), following an increase in detentions and deportations of illegal immigrants in the US since President Donald Trump began his second term in January 2025.Official estimates suggest 1.1 million US citizens are married to an undocumented person.