By Emiliano Rodríguez Mega and Annie Correal
Mexico’s initiative to accommodate thousands of its repatriated citizens from the United States is notably ambitious. Plans are currently in progress to establish nine reception centers along the border — large tents positioned in parking lots, stadiums, and warehouses — with mobile kitchens managed by the military.
The specifics of the program — termed “Mexico Embraces You” — were disclosed only this week, though Mexican officials mentioned they had been working on it for several months, following Donald Trump’s commitment to implement the largest expulsion of immigrants in U.S. history.
Nearly every branch of government — 34 federal agencies and 16 state authorities — is intended to be involved in various capacities: transporting individuals to their hometowns, managing logistics, offering medical services, enrolling those recently returned in social assistance programs such as pensions and paid training, and distributing cash cards valued at about $100 each.
Officials state they are also in discussions with Mexican companies to connect individuals with employment opportunities.
“We are prepared to welcome you on this side of the border,” stated Mexico’s interior minister, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, during a press conference this week. “Repatriation is a chance to return home and be reunited with family.”
President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico has labeled the anticipated mass deportations a “unilateral action” and has expressed her disagreement with them. However, as the country housing the largest number of unauthorized citizens in the United States — approximately 4 million individuals as of 2022 — Mexico finds itself compelled to make preparations.
The government’s initiative is chiefly aimed at Mexicans deported from the United States, although the president has indicated the country might temporarily accept foreign deportees as well.
Mexico is not isolated in its preparations: Guatemala, its southern neighbor, which also has a significant population of undocumented immigrants in the United States, has recently initiated a plan to accommodate its own deported individuals.
While Mexico’s foreign minister held discussions via phone with the new U.S. secretary of state, Marco Rubio, this week regarding immigration and security matters, Mexico and other nations in the region have stated they have not been informed by the Trump administration about its deportation strategies, leaving them to respond without any specific details.
“The return of Donald Trump once again leaves Mexico unprepared to handle these scenarios,” remarked Sergio Luna, who is affiliated with the Migrant Defense Organizations’ Monitoring Network, a coalition of 23 shelters, migrant homes, and organizations throughout Mexico.
“We can’t continue to react to emergencies with programs that may be well-intentioned but are completely inadequate,” Luna added. “This illustrates that for decades, Mexico has profited from Mexican migrants through remittances, yet it has abandoned this population to neglect.”
Furthermore, even though the government possesses a fleet of 100 buses to transport deportees back to their home states, many of these individuals had originally fled those areas to escape violence and scarce opportunities.
Other experts expressed concerns regarding whether the Mexican government was truly equipped to handle the long-term psychological impacts that deportations and family separations could inflict.
“These individuals will return, and their reintegration is likely to affect their mental well-being,” stated Camelia Tigau, a migration researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
Despite the new facilities, current shelters — frequently small and underfunded — may struggle to accommodate large numbers of recently arrived individuals alongside the usual influx of migrants from the south aiming to cross into the U.S., according to shelter operators, even though migrant numbers have significantly decreased in recent months.
“We cannot prepare as we lack the financial resources,” stated Gabriela Hernández, the director of the Casa Tochán shelter in Mexico City, noting that her team primarily depends on donations from local citizens. “We view this as an emergency. It’s akin to an earthquake.”
Other shelter operators in Mexico City reported they had not received additional assistance from the government.
Mexico City, the capital, is expected to receive a significant number of returnees. Research indicates that upon deportation, many individuals do not return to their original hometowns but instead relocate to larger cities.
“It is positive that the Mexican government is preparing for the initial reception,” remarked Claudia Masferrer, a migration researcher who has explored return dynamics from the United States to Mexico and their broader implications. Nevertheless, she emphasized, “it is crucial to consider what will occur afterward, in the months that follow.”
Temístocles Villanueva, Mexico City’s chief of human mobility, mentioned in an interview that officials intended to establish new shelters and nearly triple the city’s capacity to house migrants and deportees — expanding from around 1,300 to over 3,000.
Those involved with migrants and deportees are concerned that Mexico and other nations in the region could be impeded in their capacity to accommodate large numbers of individuals if the Trump administration suspends the distribution of foreign aid, as Rubio indicated on Tuesday was beginning to occur following an executive order signed by Trump on Monday.
“This could lead to a crisis, or at the very least a temporary reduction in these humanitarian support networks,” Luna stated.
Sheinbaum has indicated that Mexico might take in deportees who are not Mexican. She also noted, however, that her administration plans to “voluntarily” return any non-Mexican nationals — including those awaiting asylum hearings in the United States — to their respective countries.
The issue of who would finance their return, she stated, was among the topics she hoped to discuss with U.S. government representatives.
