The Limits of Neutrality: Undocumented Migrants in the United States and Mexican Consular Diplomacy

Abstract

Mexican foreign policy has historically followed a course of non-intervention in international affairs. However, the question of how to support the millions of undocumented Mexican citizens residing in the United States has become a growing concern for Mexico, especially during the first administration of President Donald Trump (2017–2021) and once again following his re-election in 2024. This article analyses the strategies developed by Mexican foreign officials, focusing on the relationships developed with local political and associative actors, and asks whether Mexico's foreign policy of non-intervention limits its capacity to assist undocumented Mexican migrants abroad? Drawing on policy analysis and 16 qualitative interviews with Mexican diplomats from 2018 to 2024, we demonstrate how consular officials implement both direct and indirect strategies aimed at preserving official neutrality and responding to the needs of undocumented migrants, while also promoting the empowerment of local Mexican communities as a long-term objective.