U.S. citizens in Mexico: Diversos!

The 1 million+ U.S. citizens in Mexico are an incredibly varied population…. the largest community of Americans living outside of the U.S…. and have the potential to change the outcomes of increasing tight election races.

Much is written about the contingent of American retirees, non-Mexican in ancestry, who were born – and lived most of their lives – in the U.S.  These citizens are largely – but not exclusively – concentrated in enclaves along Mexico’s Pacific and Gulf coasts.

But not all of Mexico’s gringos are senior citizens… in fact, far from it.

• 2nd generation. There are the U.S. citizens born of parents who were at the time residing in Mexico.  Some of these parents remained permanently, founding and operating businesses in which their children have now succeeded them.

• Tours-of-duty. Some are working-age professionals on tours of duty with U.S. companies operating in Mexico, many with school-age children.  Others are digital nomads just passing through for a few weeks or months.

These are, however, just the tip of an iceberg largely made up of U.S. citizens of Mexican ancestry.

• Border commuters. Tens of thousands of dual citizens live in cities and towns along the U.S. border commute to the U.S. daily, some as workers and others as owners of businesses ranging from currency exchange to auto insurance and nationalization that operate on both sides of the border.

• Dependent families. Some U.S. citizens of Mexican birth return to Mexico to care for aged or infirm relatives, sometimes also to take up the reins of a family business.

• Foreigner services. Others leverage their knowledge of English language and American culture to work in expat enclaves at businesses ranging from home construction/remodeling and retail to personal services.

U.S. citizens are not required by law to surrender their American citizenship in order to become citizens of another country, but the laws on Mexican citizenship have a far more restrictive history.

Until 1934, a Mexican woman who married a foreigner automatically forfeited her Mexican citizenship.  Not until 1950 was the law amended to allow her to retain it… but only if she and her spouse resided in Mexico. (This also allowed her to own property.)

Not until 1969 was Mexican citizenship automatically granted to children born of a Mexican mother, regardless of where the birth occurred.  And while a 1997 law limited citizenship for these children to the first foreign-born generation, a 2021 law removed this restriction

C O B A L T ‘S mission is to deliver – to all of these American citizens – its issue-focused, fact-based commentary on a progressive public agenda, and to promote U.S. voter registration among politically progressive American citizens living in Mexico.