María de Jesús Estrada Juárez, a DACA recipient who was deported from Mexico after a 40-day separation, returned to the US after living under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a program that protects about half a million undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children. Despite her protected status, despite her clean record and no criminal charges, she was deported in violation of her DACA status. The Department of Homeland Security reported that between January 1 and November 11, 2025, 261 DACA recipients were arrested and 86 were deported. Estradas Juávez sued the federal government and a judge allowed her safe return to her home in the US. The program, which began in 2012, still faces legal challenges and does not provide lawful status.