I’ve been an American expat living in Mexico for ten years and can say I feel safe and secure. Every day I wake up without a care in the world which is not the experience I had living in the US. In every election cycle people wring their hands and talk about leaving for what they think are greener pastures, this election perhaps even more so.

Google reported that just after the election results were announced, there was a huge spike in search requests for US citizens relocating to other countries, one is Mexico.

Mexico has been pretty friendly to its visitors from both north and south of its borders. Migrants risking passage through the Darian Gap risk death to make their way through Mexico hoping for asylum in the US. Some clearly don’t go through the official channels and are illegally assisted across by cartels. The assistance goes further by the funding of these hazardous sojourns by shadow organizations, some for economic enrichment, some with a nefarious intent. Yes, terrorists are in the US.

I’ve been researching the phenomenon of men quitting and moving to foreign lands to reinvent themselves. Some are looking for a better financial advantage while others think moving locations will help them outrun themselves. From my perspective Mexico provides a very affordable way of living and the evidence is clear many of my American neighbors and friends are packing up and moving here.

Without going into the details of temporary and permanent visas which change with time, every visitor without legal residency is required to get an FMM (Multiple Immigration Form), though many crossing the border by land choose not to do so and there has been little recourse. The process is simple enough, go online and fill out the application, pay for it and present to the Mexican immigration official upon entry. The cost is about $36.00 and can be up to six months long. That term is determined by the immigration officials and if they feel like giving less time they can, though I haven’t heard of it happening especially if you fill out the form online.

The US president elect has been bombastic in his usual way of declaring he will deport in mass, undocumented peoples. Stephen Miller, his soon to be appointed deputy chief of staff for policy has discussed removing existing pardons and paroles. The newly elected president has declared war on the cartels. In a New York Times article Trump espoused using military force against cartels in Mexico even shooting missiles into Mexico or shooting trespassers in the legs. I’m not sure how you can do that legally, but the words alone are provocative and if recent events are an indication, cartels can bring the fight in their own country to US citizens as seen in the recent murder of a Marine Veteran. He was killed just a short distance away from me. Previous to that, two senior ladies were killed on the same highway.

A fly in the ointment is what appears to be Mexico’s refusal to accept US aid in the fight against drug cartels. An AP report suggests Mexico has “closed the door” on security cooperation.” In spite of Mexico’s claims there is no violence problems, six have been arrested for the murder of the aforementioned Marine. Of course, there is no mention of the multitude of Mexicans slaughtered for Americas insatiable appetite for drugs and the pursuit of migrants dream Americans may be running from.

According to CNN, A 2018 UN report estimated the business of trying to get people into Mexico and the US illegally was worth about $4 billion annually. Most of that money went to cartels so it seems incredulous to think that they will just take the loss in revenue.

A few years ago, Mexico tried to mitigate migrant travel by banning the purchase of bus tickets by anyone without travel documents or residency visas. If you traveled Mexico, you would have experienced military checkpoints. For now, only Mexican immigration has the authority to request documents or deport. Arizona just passed a law whereby state law enforcement can apprehend illegals and the local courts can deport. Is this next for Mexico? Still at one point Mexico refused to deport simply because it claimed it didn’t have the financial resources to do so. That may have been a plan to get the US to pay for that instead Mexico paying for the border wall as the former president Trump promised.

Mexico and the US are tied together by economic need and trade agreements, and I expect Sheinbaum’s administration will continue to be proactive at the southern border and with immigration enforcements. Still US citizens may be in for some real hassles such as actually getting a FMM to legally enter and stay as a guest in Mexico and for potential violence as the cartels fight back perhaps trading illegal immigration to kidnappings.

My neighbors and friends here have decided to get the FMM just to be on the safe side. Mexico has a very vested interest in protecting Americans that bring a lot of money into the country. For now, it’s kind of wait and see but be ready for change.