Marco Rubio Announces Closure of US Consulate in Mexico, Cites Low Visa Volume

Washington — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the Trump administration will close one of its consulates in Mexico as part of a broader reorganization of diplomatic services, though he did not specify which office would be affected.

The decision is tied to the low number of visas processed or approved at some consular posts, Rubio said during a hearing with US lawmakers.

Rubio explained that the State Department has reviewed its diplomatic missions in various countries to determine which ones have sufficient workload to justify permanent operations. He noted that some offices have been identified where the number of visas approved “does not justify maintaining a full-time permanent office.”

“We have done this repeatedly. We have seen it in Mexico, where we are going to close a consulate,” Rubio told lawmakers.

The secretary did not provide details on the location of the consulate that will cease operations or a timeline for the closure.

The United States currently maintains an embassy in Mexico City and nine consulates in Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Monterrey, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, and Tijuana. It also operates nine consular agencies that provide emergency services and assistance to US citizens in Acapulco, Cancun, Los Cabos, Mazatlan, Oaxaca, Piedras Negras, Puerto Vallarta, San Miguel de Allende, and Tijuana.

Review of Mexican Consulates in the US

The announcement comes weeks after it was revealed that the State Department had initiated a review of the 53 Mexican consulates operating on US soil. The evaluation is part of a broader strategy to align US foreign policy with the Trump administration’s priorities.

Mexico maintains the largest network of consulates of any foreign country in the United States. These offices provide documentation, protection, and legal assistance to millions of Mexicans living in cities such as Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Chicago, and New York.