President Claudia Sheinbaum praised the economic and social contributions of Mexican migrants living in the United States during a press event on May 8, 2026.

This acknowledgment signals a strategic effort by the Mexican administration to leverage the economic influence of its diaspora to strengthen diplomatic ties and advocate for better administrative treatment of its citizens abroad.

Speaking at the "Mañana del Pueblo" gathering in Mexico City, Sheinbaum said Mexican nationals in the U.S. are the best symbol of friendship between the two nations [1]. She emphasized the scale of this community, noting that there are approximately 38 million people of Mexican origin living in the U.S. [2].

Sheinbaum addressed the financial impact of this population on the American economy. She said that Mexicans living in the United States contribute $2.3 billion to the U.S. economy [2]. This "migrant muscle," as she characterized it, serves as a bridge between the two countries.

Beyond the economic figures, the president said her administration is working to reduce the bureaucratic hurdles faced by Mexicans in the U.S. Sheinbaum previously said that the government would simplify several procedures for Mexicans in the U.S. by implementing fewer requirements [3].

These policy shifts aim to ease the administrative burden on migrants while reinforcing the visibility of their contributions. By framing the diaspora as an economic asset rather than a political liability, Sheinbaum is positioning Mexico to negotiate from a point of mutual interdependence.

“"Los connacionales representan el mejor símbolo de amistad entre México y Estados Unidos."”

By quantifying the economic contribution of the 38 million people of Mexican origin in the U.S., Sheinbaum is shifting the narrative of migration from one of crisis to one of mutual economic benefit. This approach provides diplomatic leverage for Mexico to demand streamlined administrative processes and better protections for its citizens, framing these requests as a fair exchange for the significant financial value migrants provide to the U.S. economy.