Hector Alessandro Negrete, a Mexican activist who spent more than four decades in the United States, decided to return to his native country after living almost his entire life in Los Angeles. His decision was driven by the constant fear of deportation and the desire to start a new chapter in Guadalajara. Originally from Manzanillo, Colima, he arrived in Los Angeles at just three months old with his parents, and his two younger siblings were born there. At 17, he was one of the few students in his generation accepted to the University of California, Berkeley, where he discovered he was undocumented. His father, after divorcing, married a U.S. citizen and obtained legal residency, which allowed him to begin the process of legalizing his son's immigration status. However, when Hector revealed his sexual orientation, the relationship fractured, and the immigration process was interrupted until it was too late to resume it. A path marked by adversity and resilience. In 2008, Negrete was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, an incident that years later prevented him from applying for the DACA program implemented by Barack Obama. Although he managed to clear his criminal record in 2016, the Donald Trump administration closed the door to new applications shortly thereafter. Faced with the impossibility of legalizing his immigration status, and with Trump's return to the presidency in 2025, he decided to undertake his "self-repatriation." In his words, it was not a self-deportation, but a conscious act of freedom. In Guadalajara, he began a new life and obtained his Mexican documents.

Before leaving, he organized a garage sale and a farewell party with an ironic tone. His red t-shirt read “I am undocumented,” and on the table he displayed objects that represented his story, such as Mickey Mouse ears and a bag from the 90s cartoon Daria.

“I am leaving behind the parts of myself that will no longer serve me,”She explained that these memories symbolized her youth in Los Angeles and the personal transformation that accompanied her return to Mexico, a country she felt was hers, but didn't truly know. A Life Dedicated to Migrant Rights: For more than five years, Negrete worked in Los Angeles as an activist and advocate for marginalized communities. She was a member of the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council and collaborated with East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, creating spaces for young people in Southeast Los Angeles. She also spearheaded the We Never Needed Papers to Thrive exhibition, which celebrated the talent of undocumented artists. In addition, he participated in the development of the LA River Master Plan and educational projects with the Fund for an Inclusive California and the Alliance for a Better Community. “If you think I’m giving up, look deeper. I’m choosing freedom,” he expressed in his farewell letter published on Substack, where he summarized his decision as a personal rebirth. Today, from Guadalajara, Negrete plans to buy a house in Rosarito, travel to Spain, and develop resources for migrants who, like him, are considering returning to their country. “This is not a goodbye to Los Angeles, but a rebirth,” the Mexican activist concluded.

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