With its wide avenues lined with tall palm trees, quaint cafes, and old-school cantinas, the Tabacalera neighborhood in downtown Mexico City has a distinct US feel. The area, known as ‘Little LA,’ has become a haven for many Mexicans deported from the US, especially those who grew up across the border and now find Mexico to be a foreign land.

Surge in Deportations Under Trump

Since taking office for the second time in January 2025, the Trump administration has deported roughly 145,500 Mexican nationals. This surge in deportations has led to an increase in individuals seeking refuge in ‘Little LA.’

Christopher Gil Ortíz is one such individual. In June, ICE agents stopped him on his way to work in Los Angeles, handcuffed him, and detained him. After months of living in fear as an undocumented immigrant, Ortíz said the detention brought relief. “At this point I was like, OK, that’s it, I’m going back,” he recalled.

Challenges of Reintegration

Ortíz was deported after more than 30 years in the US, leaving behind his wife and two young children. Upon returning to Mexico, he found himself in Tulum, where his belongings were stolen from his hotel room. Eventually, he made his way to Mexico City, where he had family but faced the challenge of reintegration.

“I was nervous,” Ortíz said. “Even though I was born here, I have very vague memories of the city itself.” He needed to obtain his birth certificate, ID, and find employment, all of which posed significant challenges for a deportee.

He discovered New Comienzos (New Beginnings), an organization based in ‘Little LA,’ through a TikTok post. The organization provides support for returnees, including legal assistance and English certification. Ortiz expressed gratitude for the community and the support he found there.

Founding of New Comienzos

New Comienzos founder and executive director, Israel Concha, established the organization after witnessing the lack of support for deportees. Concha had lived in the US for 30 years and had built a successful private transport business in Texas before being deported in 2014.

“The atmosphere [in the US] right now is one of humanitarian crisis and panic,” Concha said. He noted that people no longer want to take their children to school due to the current climate. Concha expects mass deportations to increase in the coming months.

Upon his return to Mexico, Concha was kidnapped by a criminal gang working with local police. After being severely beaten, he escaped to Mexico City, where he found a job at a bilingual call centre. This experience inspired him to create New Comienzos to help others facing similar challenges.

“People didn’t just need a job; many of them needed emotional support because they had just lost everything following a deportation,” Concha said. The organization now offers mentorship, legal support, and free English classes to recent arrivals.

Sergio Aaron Pérez, a 36-year-old deportee, found work at a call center in ‘Little LA.’ Having lived in the US for more than 30 years, Pérez was deported in 2011 for what he calls “bad things.” In ‘Little LA,’ he found a sense of community and opportunity. “If you speak English there’s a lot of money,” said Pérez.

For Ortiz, the focus is on securing a job at a glass-making factory, a job he once held in the US. He plans to bring his wife and children to Mexico. “My kids are OK with it,” he said, referencing a local Mexican custom. “My daughter told me that she was already practising drinking soda out of a plastic bag.”