A Mexican government program intended to support deported nationals returning from the United States is failing to meet its goals, largely because deportees are being flown to parts of the country far from where help is available.
Launched in January with significant fanfare, the “Mexico Embraces You” initiative was designed to welcome returnees and connect them with permanent employment. Backed by more than 380 companies and coordinated through Mexico’s Business Coordinating Council (CCE), the program promised up to 60,000 job placements for deported Mexicans.
The program was unveiled shortly after Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency in November 2024. His campaign had pledged mass deportations, prompting Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration to prepare for a surge in return migration.
At its launch, officials highlighted extensive preparations to ensure deported individuals would receive a warm welcome and meaningful opportunities to rebuild their lives in Mexico.
However, recent data from Mexico’s Interior Ministry paints a disappointing picture. Of the nearly 40,000 people deported since Trump took office again, only about 4% have secured jobs through the program.
Deportees Sent Far from Support Services
A key reason for the program’s ineffectiveness is logistical: the United States has been flying deportees into airports in Chiapas and Tabasco—Mexico’s southernmost states—rather than to Mexico City or border towns where support services and job fairs were supposed to be held.
According to Bloomberg News, U.S. authorities aim to discourage repeat migration attempts by returning deportees to the southern border, making any northbound journey more difficult. However, this strategy has inadvertently left many returnees stranded in underserved areas with few job opportunities.
Mexican officials had assumed most returnees would arrive in Mexico City or cross the northern border by land, where resources were concentrated. The CCE had even planned job fairs at Mexico City’s AIFA airport, but none have occurred due to a lack of arrivals.
Since mid-February, more than 90 deportation flights have landed in Chiapas or Tabasco, and none in Mexico City.
Job Shortages in the South, No Transport North
Southern states like Chiapas and Tabasco—among the poorest in the country—lack both job opportunities and infrastructure to host large-scale employment programs. The CCE has stated that local airports are too small to accommodate job fairs, and the National Migration Institute has been left scrambling to help deportees reach bus terminals.
Though the government provides a one-time cash benefit to deportees, many report that it’s insufficient to pay for long-distance travel to regions with jobs.
This disconnect is stark: as of May, around 40% of the 70,000 jobs available through the program were located in Nuevo León, Jalisco, and the Mexico City metro area. In contrast, Chiapas and Tabasco had fewer than 1,000 openings each.
Another major obstacle, according to Bloomberg, is the lack of advance notice Mexico receives from U.S. authorities about incoming deportation flights, making it even harder to coordinate assistance.
In short, while “Mexico Embraces You” promised a dignified return for deported Mexicans, many are finding themselves isolated and unsupported—hundreds of miles away from the help they were told to expect.