Deported Illegals Persist in Quest to Reclaim Lives in U.S. Shadows

TULTITLAN, Mexico — Alfonso Cordova lived in the United States for 30 years. He has a wife and two grown sons in Los Angeles, where he owned an auto repair shop until two months ago when he was deported to his native El Salvador.

Mr. Cordova, who spoke perfect English inside a packed migrant shelter here, now is scrambling to find a way back into the United States.

“I got a DUI one night,” said the 44-year-old, who briefly lived in Laurel, Md., before settling in Los Angeles. “I was stupid. I just made a mistake, and I got busted.”

More