In a moment that underscores the ongoing crisis created by the Obama-era DACA program and the need for strong, clear immigration enforcement, a 34-year-old illegal immigrant from El Salvador accidentally deported himself—then got arrested trying to sneak back into the U.S.
The individual in question, Erick Hernandez, arrived illegally in the United States at the age of 14. Though he was never a legal resident, he became one of the many so-called “Dreamers” protected under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a program launched by President Obama that sidestepped Congress and granted sweeping amnesty-like benefits to those who entered the country illegally as minors.
DACA has long been a target of conservative criticism for undermining the rule of law, rewarding illegal entry, and creating a dangerous gray area where unlawful residents are given privileges—driver’s licenses, work permits, and Social Security access—despite having no legal status.
President Trump, to his credit, attempted to dismantle the program in 2017. Though activist judges kept parts of it alive, the current status is that new DACA applications are frozen, and any DACA recipient who leaves the U.S. without formal permission forfeits their protected status.
Enter Erick Hernandez. Living in East Los Angeles and married to a U.S. citizen, he had hoped to become a legal resident. But instead of following the proper legal path, Hernandez found himself in hot water after a bizarre wrong turn on the freeway near the Mexican border landed him across the international line—in Mexico.
That unplanned detour turned out to be the end of his DACA protections.
According to U.S. immigration law, those covered by DACA must receive advance parole—official permission—before traveling abroad. Hernandez had none. And once he exited the country, however unintentionally, his DACA shield evaporated. When he tried to return to the U.S., border authorities treated him like any other illegal alien: he was arrested and sent to Otay Mesa Detention Center, now facing expedited removal to El Salvador.
His attorney, Valerie Sigamani, acknowledged that his excuses didn’t fly with border agents. “His attempt to come back to the United States and say, ‘This was a mistake. It was an accident,’ was ignored,” she said.
While immigration activists cry foul, conservatives see the incident as a textbook example of why strong enforcement is essential. Hernandez broke the law when he entered the country illegally. DACA, a program born of executive overreach, gave him temporary amnesty—but with clear terms. He violated those terms, and now he’s being held accountable.
More importantly, this incident highlights how left-wing immigration policies often blur the lines between compassion and lawlessness. President Trump continues to advocate for securing the border, ending catch-and-release, and putting American citizens first. Despite false rumors about him supporting amnesty for farm workers or other laborers, the former president has stayed consistent: illegal immigration will not be rewarded with citizenship.
As for Hernandez, his situation is unfortunate, but not unjust. He chose to remain in the U.S. without citizenship for two decades. And now, with the law finally being enforced, he’s facing the same consequences any other illegal entrant would.
It’s a reminder that immigration laws exist for a reason—and under Trump’s America First approach, they’re not just suggestions.
