The U.S. Department of State has begun a review of the more than 50 Mexican consulates that operate across the United States, a State Department official confirmed on Thursday. The review, which officials say could result in the closure of certain diplomatic offices, takes place amid a period of strained relations between Washington and Mexico.
When contacted for comment, Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, said:
"Department of State is constantly reviewing all aspects of American foreign relations to ensure they are in line with the president’s America First foreign policy agenda and advance American interests,"
CBS News first reported the review. The Mexican Foreign Ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Mexican immigrants make up the single largest immigrant community in the United States, with at least 37 million people of Mexican origin residing in the country in 2021, according to Pew Research Center's analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Because of that sizable population and the shared southern border, Mexico maintains a wide-reaching consular presence in the United States.
Mexico’s consulates provide a range of services for residents, including legal assistance, and form an extensive diplomatic and public services network across the country. The potential closure of consular offices in a host country is often seen as an indicator of diplomatic strain between governments.
Previous U.S. actions provide context for how closures can be used in tense bilateral settings. In 2020, the State Department ordered the closure of China’s consulate in Houston, Texas, after accusing Beijing of espionage activities.
Tensions between the two countries have been evident at the leadership level. U.S. President Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum have maintained a somewhat tense relationship since Trump returned to the White House last year, according to available accounts.
Relations reached a particularly acute point last month following a car crash that resulted in the deaths of two U.S. officials. Sources said those Americans were officers of the Central Intelligence Agency. Additionally, President Sheinbaum has publicly pressed for attention to the rights of Mexicans living in the United States after several Mexican nationals were killed in anti-immigration operations in the United States.
As the review unfolds, officials have not provided a public timetable or indicated which consulates might be affected. The course of the review and any subsequent decisions could have implications for consular services accessed by millions of people of Mexican origin living in the United States.