Cancún Gears Up for Influx of Deported Migrants from U.S.

The Migrant Worker Resource Center (CRTM) in Cancún is making preparations to assist potential deportees from the United States who wish to remain and work in Mexico. So far this year, immigration authorities have identified a total of 3,893 foreigners residing illegally in Quintana Roo. Of these, 3,029 are located in Benito Juarez, the municipality that includes Cancún. However, organizations working with this demographic warn that these numbers could rise in the coming months.

Alicia Ramírez Méndez, director of the CRTM, detailed that the center is collaborating with business chambers and associations, such as the hotel association, to ensure that foreign hires receive all statutory benefits. "We have reached out to Entrepreneurs for Quintana Roo, the Association of Hotels in Cancún, Puerto Morelos, and Isla Mujeres, to conduct sensitivity workshops. This is to help them understand the process of hiring a migrant, the benefits and limitations, including the fact that they can only hire up to 10% of their workforce as migrants," she explained.

Méndez noted that there is currently a center in Tijuana that is expected to receive the majority of deportees by 2025. However, Cancún already has a high number of individuals seeking job opportunities. She believes that with the policies of the next U.S. President, Donald Trump, there will be fewer opportunities for people to cross into the U.S., a dream held by many.

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