The Great Read: She Tried to Leave America. She Entered an Immigration Hall of Mirrors.
After more than 20 years in the U.S., an Eritrean mother and nurse tried to self-deport to Canada. She found herself in a Texas detention center instead.
The New York Times
The Great Read

November 25, 2025, 2:01 p.m. Eastern time

On weekdays and Sundays, we recommend one piece of exceptional writing from The Times — a narrative or essay that takes you someplace you might not expect to go.

A person stands against a dark blue background, wearing a striped shirt and earrings. Their hands are clasped in front.

Ian Willms for The New York Times

She Tried to Leave America. She Entered an Immigration Hall of Mirrors.

After more than 20 years in the U.S., an Eritrean mother and nurse tried to self-deport to Canada. She found herself in a Texas detention center instead.

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