ICE Deports Mexican Couple Behind Coachella’s Viral Hotdogs

ICE deports Mexican couple

Viral business on TikTok

American dream cut short

The American dream of María Alcaraz and Carlos Parra ended abruptly in August, when ICE agents separated them from their life in Indio, California.

The couple, originally from northern Mexico, had built a thriving Sonora-style hotdog business that went viral on social media and became a Coachella favorite.

According to María, the deportation was carried out with the help of “bounty hunters,” migrants who are paid to turn in other undocumented people.

“They were just doing their job, but what shocked me was that they were Latinos, just like us,” she said sadly in a video shared online.

ICE Deports Mexican Couple Who Had Become Viral Hotdog Vendors

Mexican couple deported from California loses their viral hotdog business: “Fellow Latinos turned us over to ICE” https://t.co/YTHsGmu57K pic.twitter.com/4CohWR3Chr

— Infobae México (@infobaemexico) October 8, 2025

The operation took them by surprise. Carlos was detained by authorities, while María hid with her children, terrified of being arrested.

“They went to my house looking for me and even threatened to take my kids away,” she said.

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For weeks, María sought legal assistance to regularize her immigration status, Infobae reported.

“I consulted lawyers because I kept hearing there was a chance to legalize our status through Carlitos, since he has autism,” she explained.

The American Dream Cut Short by ICE

@maria.alcarazf @el mariachi #alcarazfamily #navojoasonora #mexicali #teamwork #viral ♬ sonido original – maria.alcarazf

Unfortunately, the answers she received were discouraging. “The lawyers didn’t give us much hope,” she lamented.

Fear soon became part of their daily lives. “The days felt endless because they were hunting me,” María Alcaraz recalled.

Faced with the risk of losing her children, she decided to return voluntarily to Mexico with them.

Once in Mexicali, her family welcomed her back. “Thank God my whole family is here. I’m from here, and my husband is from Sonora. We moved into my brother’s house,” she said.

Since her return, María has tried to rebuild her life away from California. Meanwhile, Carlos remains detained in the U.S.

“I miss him so much; we only talk on the phone,” she said tearfully.

Their hotdog business — once a symbol of success and resilience — is now only a memory.

Viral Success, Painful Separation

@maria.alcarazf Empezando desde 0 en México después de la deportación @el mariachi #alcarazfamily #navojoasonora #mexicali #teamwork #viral ♬ sonido original – maria.alcarazf

Their Sonora-style hotdogs had become a viral sensation on TikTok, earning them the nickname “The Most Viral Hotdogs of Coachella.”

Today, the future is uncertain, but María clings to hope.

“We have to start over, but with the faith that we’ll be together again,” she concluded, recalling the days when their small business represented a bright future beyond the border.