From street life to mainstream society: understanding post-deportation journey of former chicano gang members

According to estimates from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), out of the approximately four million individuals deported from the U.S. in the past decade, a significant proportion — at least 20% — were former gang members. After serving their sentences, these individuals were expelled to Mexico. Due to their distinctive physical characteristics and hybrid cultural identities, these deportees are likely to confront myriad hurdles in their efforts to assimilate into Mexican society. This study endeavors to explore the social pathways and opportunities available to these individuals for societal reintegration, with the aim of comprehending the essence of their assimilation processes. Additionally, this research seeks to identify the key actors and contexts that enable these deportees' reintegration into their new lives in Mexico. To fulfill these objectives, we carried out a series of comprehensive interviews with former gang members, now deportees, residing in Guadalajara. The findings underscore the severity of the challenges these individuals face in terms of social integration: significant issues include family reintegration and the acquisition of employment; the development of mental health disorders; a predilection towards alcohol and drug use, leading to potential addiction; and an increased susceptibility to violence and entanglement in organized crime.