Texas teens face hardship after mother’s deportation despite DACA status

Sarah Moreno, a 15-year-old in Texas, and her siblings are coping with rent, food and school challenges after their mother, Jessica Treviño, was deported despite holding a DACA permit.

On a routine morning in late 2025, ICE agents pursued Sarah Moreno’s family, colliding with their vehicle and removing the parents from the car, an incident that left the teenager bruised and traumatized. Jessica Treviño, who had a DACA authorization valid through April 2027, was detained for about 90 days before a judge ordered her voluntary departure, a decision she contends was coerced and resulted in her deportation to Matamoros, Mexico.

After her removal, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services moved to revoke her DACA status because she left the country without permission. Her attorney, David Rozas, has sued the government, claiming the departure was misrepresented and that the case reflects a growing trend of DACA holders being expelled from border states. Meanwhile, Sarah, her 16-year-old brother and 13-year-old sister struggle to pay rent, secure meals and travel an hour to the Brownsville crossing to see their parents, while missing milestones like Sarah’s quinceañera. Local relatives and community members are providing limited support, but the siblings face an uncertain future without their mother’s presence.