1.5M Undocumented Americans Call Mexico Home

Mexico City, Mexico — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated on Friday that an estimated 1.5 million Americans reside in Mexico without proper documentation, emphasizing that they are welcomed with warmth despite their legal status. Her remarks came as she defended the economic contributions of Mexican migrants in the United States amid threats of mass deportations by former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Undocumented Americans in Mexico: A Growing Demographic

Sheinbaum noted that many Americans in Mexico lack legal documentation, with a significant portion being young professionals working remotely. “Many (Americans in the country) also do not have documents. They come here and stay, representing a wide economic diversity, particularly young people who work remotely,” she said during her morning press conference.

These Americans are not only concentrated in Mexico City but have also settled in northern states such as Sonora, Sinaloa, and Baja California Sur. In recent years, digital nomads have increasingly populated neighborhoods in the capital, including Roma, Condesa, Juárez, and Cuauhtémoc.

“Mexico is a wonderful place to live. They come here, are received with affection, and work from here,” Sheinbaum affirmed.

Controversy Over Gentrification and Recent Protests

The influx of Americans has sparked debates over gentrification, particularly in Mexico City and Oaxaca, where locals accuse them of driving up living costs. A recent protest in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, targeted an American resident who allegedly barred a worker from eating on the sidewalk near his home.

In response, Sheinbaum stressed the importance of mutual respect. “Those who visit must respect Mexicans. Mexico and its people deserve respect, and racist or classist attitudes are unacceptable here,” she declared.

Economic Concerns Over Trump’s Deportation Threats

The Mexican government is closely monitoring Trump’s deportation proposals, as nearly half of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. are Mexican. Remittances from Mexican migrants, which reached a record $65 billion in 2024, account for nearly 4% of Mexico’s GDP.

Sheinbaum announced that she will present a new report on Monday from the Latino Donor Collaborative (LDC), a research center that estimated in January that Mexicans in the U.S.—whether migrants or U.S.-born—contribute $2.06 trillion to the American economy, roughly 10% of its GDP.

“They sustain a significant part of the U.S. economy,” she said.