No identification, no medication: deported man with diabetes denounces abandonment after leaving the U.S.

Just days ago, after spending 26 years living in the United States, 46‑year‑old Carlos Salazar returned to Mexico under a legal process known as “voluntary departure.” His long immigration battle ended with his detention and a ruling in immigration court. But his story is far from typical. For Salazar, deportation has meant stepping into a new kind of bureaucratic and medical nightmare in the country he once called home.

Salazar, who has Type 1 diabetes, says he was stunned to discover that once back in Mexico, he couldn’t even buy his essential medication because he lacked official identification. Upon arrival, he was given a “Constancia de Recepción de Mexicanos Repatriados,” a temporary document issued by Mexico’s National Institute of Migration. But as he explains, the paper “is practically useless.” Without a valid government ID, pharmacies and clinics refuse to sell him the insulin and supplies he needs to survive.

His ordeal goes far beyond the lack of medication. While in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), his health deteriorated significantly. According to his family, he even lost vision in one eye due to inadequate medical care during his detention.

Deported diabetic claims abandonment after leaving the US

Back in Mexico, Salazar found himself not only without medicine but also without close relatives in the town where he was left — a situation that has plunged him into deep isolation. “It’s very depressing to be without family,” he says. His loved ones remain in Georgia, trying to support him from afar and have even launched a fundraising campaign to help him get back on his feet.

His case highlights a growing reality: deportation is not the end of the story. For thousands of repatriated migrants, it marks the beginning of a cascade of complications — especially for those with chronic health conditions who rely on uninterrupted treatment. The lack of immediate access to basic services, including the official documentation required to obtain medication or medical care, exposes a systemic gap that advocates and civil organizations have long warned needs urgent attention.

Beyond the administrative hurdles, Salazar is also fighting an emotional and social battle. Far from home and without a local support network, he must rebuild his life in a country that sees him as someone who “came back,” yet doesn’t fully recognize him as a citizen entitled to basic services.

As his family prepares to begin a reunification process in the United States through marriage, Carlos’s story stands as a stark reminder of the need to rethink how deported individuals — especially those with critical medical needs — are treated.

It raises pressing questions about how public policies on both sides of the border can respond more humanely and effectively to the very real challenges people like him face every day.

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