Hispanic Father Was Deported and When He Tried to Return to the U.S. Another Way, He Died Tragically

• Deported Migrant Dies Crossing River
• Mother Left Alone With Children
• Family Faces Economic Crisis

According to USA TODAY, the life of Tiffany Barrera changed dramatically within a few months following the deportation and death of her partner.

Barrera, 31, lives in San Antonio and now faces life as a recently widowed mother of five children.

Her afternoons are marked by the routine of picking up the kids from three different schools at 3:00, 3:45, and 4:15 p.m.

The everyday chaos became even more difficult after the death of José Sánchez, a tragic case in which a migrant dies crossing Rio Grande while trying to return to his family.

Why it matters: The case highlights the impact deportations can have on families with U.S.-citizen children.

Deportation and Death in the Rio Grande

He was deported, then he died. Now his family of 6 is reeling. Jose Sanchez was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in November, just a few days before Thanksgiving. He was a roofer & was returning from his second job of the day- USA TODAY https://t.co/3hiE8rCyVj

— Amador Galvez III (@AmadorGalvezIII) February 28, 2026

José Sánchez was deported in November after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The arrest occurred just days before Thanksgiving.

Sánchez worked as a roofer and was returning from his second job of the day when he was stopped by a sheriff.

During the detention, Barrera spoke with officers and translated for the agent who did not speak Spanish.

She explained that Sánchez was not a U.S. citizen, but that he was in the process of applying for citizenship.

Vanessa Alonso, Sánchez’s immigration attorney, said that process should have protected him from deportation while his case was pending.

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However, two days after his arrest, he was deported to Mexico from San Antonio.

In early January—about a month and a half later—Sánchez attempted to return to the United States by crossing the Rio Grande.

During that attempt, the migrant died crossing Rio Grande, marking a devastating turning point for his family.

His body was discovered seven days later on the U.S. side of the river.

A Family Facing Grief and Hardship

After the death of José Sánchez, Barrera became the sole caregiver for their five children.

The children, like their mother, are going through a difficult grieving process.

According to Barrera, some of them have trouble eating and sleeping.

They are currently receiving therapy services at school.

However, the family needs additional support.

One of Barrera’s sons, six years old, sleeps at night with his father’s T-shirt placed over a pillow.

Before being deported, José Sánchez had been the family’s main financial provider.

While he worked, Barrera stayed home caring for the children.

She explained that she now struggles financially—even to pay for gas to pick up her children from school.

Broader Impact on Migrant Families

There are no exact figures on how many families have faced similar situations in recent months.

Michelle Méndez, director of legal resources and training at the National Immigration Project, said this appears to be an emerging trend.

The Trump administration claims there had been more than 622,000 deportations by January 2026.

However, the government has not provided data supporting that number.

Records from Immigration and Customs Enforcement show about 344,000 deportations under the current administration.

According to a report from the Pew Research Center, many children in the United States with undocumented immigrant parents are U.S. citizens.

The report notes that in 2023 about 7.5 million households included unauthorized immigrants.

It also estimates that around 4.6 million U.S.-citizen children live with at least one undocumented immigrant parent.

Vanessa Alonso, an immigration lawyer in Texas since 2007, said she has recently seen fewer people applying for immigration programs or seeking citizenship.

According to her, some individuals fear being arrested or deported.

Alonso also noted that more women are being left to lead their families when the primary providers, like José Sánchez, are deported.

In many cases, families face both grief and financial uncertainty at the same time.

Barrera said her partner knew he was taking risks by working in the country without finalized immigration status.

Still, he continued working to pay rent and support his family.

On the day of his birthday, he decided to attempt crossing the river to return to them.

The current pulled him under.

Now Barrera is searching for work while trying to support her five children.

She has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover immediate expenses as she attempts to rebuild her life.