SEMINOLE, West Texas — On the day Herman was deported to Mexico, back in 2008, the officer whose job it was to take him across the border was shocked to see him.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Getting deported,” he replied.
They were on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement bus, pulling out of Presidio, Texas.
“But you’re white! You speak English!” the officer said.
“Yeah, but I’m not legal in the country.”
Now that he’s back in West Texas 17 years later—and still undocumented—Herman laughs at the memory, and continues with his story.
The immigration officer said: “We should let this guy out. He’s white! He’s not even from Mexico!”
It’s easy to see why the officer was confused. If one were to ask AI to generate a picture of a “stereotypical West Texan,” you might get Herman: a burly white guy, with a long beard and work-calloused hands, who loves guns, freedom, and Donald Trump.
“He’s illegal,” the bus driver flatly retorted. “White people can be illegal, too.”