This story was co-published with Puente News Collaborative in partnership with KTEP News. Puente News Collaborative is a bilingual nonprofit newsroom, convener and funder devoted to high-quality, fact-based information and knowledge from the U.S.-Mexico border.
The variety of worldwide vacationers touring to the United States has declined, with one exception, Mexico. After a dip originally of the yr, guests from Mexico are again, and their numbers rising. In truth, these vacationers are a vibrant spot this vacation season when many plan journeys to go to kinfolk, get pleasure from leisure and amusement parks and, in fact, Christmas purchasing in malls from San Diego, San Antonio, or El Paso, throughout from Ciudad Juarez.
The enhance in Mexican vacationers is rising regardless of repeated movies on social media platforms displaying ICE or Border Patrol brokers tackling and arresting individuals, a majority of them Latinos, to hold out Trump’s mass deportation promise. And it comes simply because the U.S. authorities plans to require guests making use of for journey visas to present their private social media historical past going again 5 years, amongst different requests, in accordance with a latest proposal by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP.
Through August, about 3 million guests arrived by air from Mexico. That’s up barely over the identical interval final yr, in accordance with knowledge from the National Travel and Tourism Office. The variety of individuals driving via land ports of entry grew by 13 p.c this yr, in accordance with CBP.
“The president, the federal government, can do or say no matter they need, and it’s all for present,” stated Raymond Robertson, a professor of economics and authorities and Director of the Mosbacher Institute for commerce, economics and public coverage at Texas A&M. “But the actual love between the 2 nations, particularly with Texas and Mexico and different U.S.-Mexico border cities, could be very sturdy and it’s very actual.”
Historically, neighboring Canada and Mexico have been the highest nations for worldwide guests. This yr, journey from Canada plummeted partly due to tariffs and President Trump repeatedly saying he needs to make Canada the 51st state which many Canadians say is insulting. The decline in worldwide tourism is predicted to value the U.S. $5.7 billion in comparison with the earlier yr, in accordance with the U.S. Travel Association.
However, journey from Mexico, for now, stays sturdy. Citing statistics from a 2023 Department of Commerce examine, Robertson stated 22 p.c of overseas vacationers are Mexicans, the most important group general. On common, Mexicans spent about $1,500 per journey.
Mexico, with an estimated 133 inhabitants, is the highest U.S. buying and selling accomplice. More than $800 billion movement in two-way commerce, figures that underscore the deep financial and cultural connection between each nations.
“No matter the nationwide or state politics, Mexicans nonetheless really feel welcomed by the folks that they have interaction with personally as a result of they know, primarily based on historical past that one way or the other politics is all the time going to be ugly,” added Robertson, writer of the upcoming ebook, Not Just Neighbors: The Remarkable Economic Relationship in North America.
Businessman Raul Vargas, 65, agrees. For greater than 4 many years, Vargas, proprietor of a tour firm, has been driving his 52-seat bus from Monterrey to North Texas for Dallas Cowboys residence video games. In the spring he takes busloads of followers to Houston to see Astros baseball video games.
“When visiting household is concerned, or seeing a sport, notably the Cowboys, or Astros, we are going to come. Traditions are exhausting to interrupt,” he stated. “Good purchasing offers additionally assist.”
Here in Ciudad Juárez, individuals arriving on the U.S. Consulate are hopeful their utility for a vacationer visa will likely be accepted. On a latest morning, the world close to the large constructing was bustling with exercise. There are motels and eating places, and companies serving to individuals put together their purposes. The U.S. consulate on this Mexican border metropolis has the most important visa operation on the planet issuing all the things from work permits to household and vacationer visas.
“I need to go to my sister in Indiana,” stated Carolina. She, like most individuals outdoors the consulate, solely needed to be recognized by their first names due to concern that talking to a reporter may have an effect on approval of their visa.
Several candidates stated they needed a visa to buy groceries simply throughout the border in Texas, or New Mexico. One younger lady was renewing her visa so she may take part in a marathon at Disney World in Florida in January.
Mexico will not be on the U.S. journey ban checklist, however the visa utility course of has grow to be more durable and dearer since Trump took workplace. Even these renewing a customer visa are actually required to indicate up for an in-person interview. Last October, the associated fee additionally rose from $185 to $435 due to a new visa integrity charge.
Moreover, there’s a worth hike for the required entry kind monitoring arrivals from $6 to $30. Finally, federal authorities are checking candidates’ social media feeds to see if they’re important of Trump administration insurance policies.
On December 9, the CBP additionally posted to the Federal Register that it might require worldwide guests to offer as much as 5 years of their social media utilization, plus further data, together with electronic mail addresses, phone numbers, IP addresses, metadata and biometrics. The proposal is open for a 60-day public remark interval. The U.S. is considered one of three nations in North America to host the 2026 World Cup soccer video games subsequent summer time, an occasion anticipated to attract tens of millions of worldwide followers.
“People are being double and triple inspected upon entry,” stated Tony Payan, Director of the Center for the U.S. and Mexicoat Rice University’s Baker Institute. Payan added that the upper value and new restrictions on all the things from pupil to expert employee visas could be a deterrent for some who need to come to the U.S. legally.
“I believe the fundamental message is that you simply’re not welcome within the United States, even vacationers who usually come and spend cash within the nation should not welcome,” Payan stated.
Yet, no less than alongside the border states, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, the reliance on guests from Mexico stays a potent supply of earnings. Malls in these cities worth and pamper their buyers from south of the border.
“These shoppers are crucial to us,” stated Gina Slechta, Director of promoting for Horizon Group Properties. The firm operates purchasing facilities throughout the nation. Two of their busiest shops are positioned within the border cities of Laredo-Nuevo Laredo and El Paso-Ciudad Juarez.
Slechta estimates as much as 65% of consumers on the Outlet Shoppes at El Paso on weekends are from Mexico. These days, the mall is decked out and stuffed with vacation cheer. People carry massive purchasing baggage and youngsters pose for selfies with a bilingual Santa. A snow machine creates a winter wonderland within the desert southwest at sundown.
“It will not be uncommon for us to see individuals come into the purchasing heart from Mexico with many members of the family and mates,” she stated. “When it comes to creating Christmas particular for his or her kids …they don’t sacrifice.”
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