Estrella González deported to Mexico after nine years in Texas prison
Estrella Diamantina González, an undocumented transgender woman from Mexico, spent most of the next decade caught up in the United States criminal and immigration systems after being arrested inside an El Paso courtroom in February 2017, before being deported to Mexico this summer, democracynow.org reported.
Arrest Inside an El Paso Courtroom
The arrest took place shortly after President Donald Trump’s inauguration in February 2017. Estrella Diamantina González had gone to a courtroom in El Paso to obtain an order of protection against an abusive boyfriend. Instead of receiving protection, plainclothes immigration agents detained her in the back of the courtroom.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents initially denied taking anyone from a courtroom when questioned by journalists. Video footage later contradicted those denials, revealing that agents had indeed detained her from inside the courthouse before placing her into an unmarked car.
At the time of the courtroom detention, immigration enforcement guidelines restricted agents from conducting arrests inside sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals, churches, and courthouses. Maria Hinojosa, the Pulitzer Prize-winning host of Latino USA, noted that Estrella was the first individual widely documented as being seized directly from a courtroom by plainclothes officers during that period.
Latino USA host Maria Hinojosa shares the story of Estrella Diamantina González, an undocumented transgender woman and trafficking survivor from Mexico caught up in the United States’ criminal and immigration systems. This past summer, after serving a nine-year sentence in a…
Prison Sentence and Transformation in Texas
Following her immigration arrest, Estrella faced criminal charges. Her ex-boyfriend, who subjected her to physical abuse and forced her to commit check fraud under threats of violence and rape, was tied to the offenses. Facing multiple attempts on her life, she pleaded guilty to check fraud and received a nine-year sentence served in a maximum-security men’s prison in Texas.
During her decade behind bars, Estrella pursued a physical transition. Relying on Texas regulations allowing inmates to advocate for hormone treatment, she managed the bureaucratic and medical hurdles independently. She also formed a lasting relationship with Maria Hinojosa, who visited her in jail and maintained regular phone contact despite being banned twice by the Texas Department of Corrections from visiting or writing.
We’re joined by Latino USA host @Maria_Hinojosa, as she shares the story of Estrella Diamantina González, an undocumented transgender woman and trafficking survivor from Mexico caught up in the United States’ criminal and immigration systems. This past summer, after serving a… pic.twitter.com/Th0AdoqP6Q
The relationship between the journalist and her source transcended traditional professional boundaries. During one prison visit, Estrella revealed a tattoo of Maria Hinojosa’s name scripted on her left inner wrist. She explained that when isolated, she placed the arm against her heart to feel a connection.
Deportation and Life in Mexico City
This summer, upon completing her nine-year prison sentence, immigration authorities deported Estrella to Mexico City. Maria Hinojosa met her as she stepped off a bus, fulfilling a promise made years prior to welcome her home.
Reflecting on her return, Estrella described receiving minimal immediate reintegration support from authorities, noting a temporary lodging setup and a small government stipend intended for transportation. She expressed uncertainty regarding her future, survival, and her relationship with her husband.
An audio documentary and accompanying video detailing her decade-long ordeal, titled Estrella: Bittersweet Freedom for a “Bad Mexican,” was released by democracynow.org. The reporting documents her trajectory from a courtroom arrest in El Paso to a maximum-security men’s prison in Texas, and finally to her deportation and arrival in Mexico City.