North Carolina is home to more than half a million people of Mexican origin, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.
The Consulate of Mexico in Raleigh is tasked with serving thousands of them annually across the Carolinas and surrounding states.
瓜神app sat down with Roberto Burgos, the Mexican consul in charge of civil registry, to learn of the impacts taking shape at the consulate three months since the inauguration of President Donald Trump, who made immigration crackdowns the top issue of his campaign.
As consul of civil registry, Burgos oversees services such as passport applications, dual U.S.-Mexico citizenship processes and , a process done by Mexicans returning to Mexico after living in the U.S.
In an interview, Burgos told 瓜神app that there's been a moderate increase in people seeking legal assistance and people obtaining Mexican citizenship for their U.S.-born children and spouses. There are also more people voluntarily returning to Mexico so far this year.
Burgos emphasized that the overall rise in demand for consular services has not been excessive.
The interview, translated to English, has been edited lightly for clarity.
What services have seen a noticeable rise in demand at the consulate since President Trump's inauguration?
There has actually been a light increase in demand in the area of civil protections, as well as transfer of remains, of legal orientation and also of dual nationality, as well as for documentation, such as passports. I believe that these areas are the ones that have experienced the greatest demand, precisely because of the context in which we currently find ourselves. We consider it to be an increase of 25%, more or less, in applications specifically for dual nationality.
The point of comparison would be with last year in the same period. We did register this increase, which isn't a major one. We consider it to be moderate.
The concern that we have received the most from our community of Mexicans who visit the consulate is to obtain dual nationality for their children, and at the same time, also to naturalize their (non-Mexican) spouses.
Demand has also increased for household import goods certificates, passports, and the qualified legal guidance that the consulate provides in the civil protections department. In this area, there is a staff of lawyers who are constantly providing this information and guidance at the immigration level.
What's behind the demand for dual citizenship in the Carolinas?
We have tried for a long time to convey this message, but until today in this situation that we live in, people have really become aware of its benefits.
The biggest worry that a Mexican national (without legal status) has is obviously being deported, as we all know at this moment. Therefore, what worries him most is being able to not be separated from his family at a moment's notice.
We must remember that we have cases of Mexican nationals in which their parents have never been able to obtain legal status or American citizenship, but the children have. Or, we have Mexicans who have obviously married citizens of other countries.
By proving or demonstrating that you have Mexican nationality, you have the benefit of being deported, or repatriated to Mexico as a family, that is, preserving family unity in this case.
The service that has seen this increase is precisely to avoid being separated in case of being deported and being able to stay with your entire family.
But additionally, we'd be talking about other obvious benefits or advantages that are also important as Mexicans in national territory 鈥� acquiring properties, opening bank accounts, whether savings or investments ... access to universal public health institutions and medicines in Mexican territory. We also receive educational services, access to our free public education system in schools and universities.
Are more Mexicans leaving the U.S.?
Yes, along with the interest in acquiring dual nationality ... we have also had requests from people who wish to return to Mexico, voluntarily that is, without being subject to any immigration action in the United States.
We do not question or ask the reason why at a given moment they wish to return because that is not our objective or our purpose, but we do see that this demand for service has increased.
It's been traced in some way through the increased demand of the Mexican household import goods certificate.
We're talking about people who have been living in the U.S. for years and who have several belongings and want to take them to Mexico. They have an enormous benefit of importing their things without paying a tax for importing them to Mexico when they are returning to their homeland.
What misconceptions are there about the consulate right now?
In these times, people have false perceptions or a distortion of reality or information (of the consulate) that is only used at a specific moment without seeing the general panorama or context.
Indeed, you've been able to verify it today since you're here, that the demand is the demand that we've always had. As you can see, we do not have those long lines, we do not have those crowds, which means that we are obviously working at a normal pace.
The demand for our services is generally normal. Yes, with its peaks, yes with its increases certain services and procedures, but without ever being exaggerated or overwhelming.
