An undocumented mother fled violence in Mexico. Now she fears being separated from her kids.

When her husband left for work one morning in early September, a mother of three never imagined he wouldn’t come back home that day. They’re both undocumented immigrants. The woman, who didn’t want to be identified, says they came to the U.S. from Mexico after fleeing cartel violence that left her fearing for her life and their children’s safety. After 18 years of living in the U.S., her husband — who she claims has no criminal record — was detained by immigration authorities and deported on Sept. 25, 2025. Now, she’s left behind — struggling to hold their family together — and facing an impossible choice: return to the danger from the past or raise her children alone in a country she no longer sees as a safe haven. The Department of Homeland Security told CBS News the undocumented father had “full due process,” adding that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement “does not separate families. Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates. This is consistent with past administration’s immigration enforcement.”