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President Claudia Sheinbaum introduced a new program aimed at assisting Mexicans living in the United States. The initiative includes strengthening Mexico’s 53 consulates and creating a Center for Information and Assistance for Mexicans (CIAM). This center will offer legal support and feature an emergency alert button for migrants in distress.
Sheinbaum emphasized the importance of ensuring that Mexicans are aware of their rights, particularly in cases of detention. “People cannot be deported by simply being taken and dropped at the border; there must be a legal process,” she explained. The program will ensure that Mexican nationals can reach out for legal help if detained.
CIAM will operate 24/7, offering support via two dedicated phone numbers: 520 623 7874 for calls from the United States and Canada, and 001 520 623 7874 for calls from Mexico.
Additionally, the program includes the launch of a digital platform, the “Ventanilla Única de Trámites Consulares,” to streamline and simplify consular processes. This platform will start by digitizing the most common civil registry procedures, such as birth registrations and nationality applications, making them more accessible to the Mexican community abroad.
Secretary of Foreign Affairs Juan Ramón de la Fuente outlined the program’s components, including legal assistance for detained individuals and coordination with local authorities to ensure proper legal procedures are followed. This initiative also strengthens partnerships with local and federal officials to provide resources, including healthcare and social services, to Mexican nationals in the U.S.
José Antonio Peña Merino, head of the Agency for Digital Transformation and Telecommunications, highlighted the digitalization efforts, which aim to reduce bureaucratic obstacles for consular services. By June 2025, the goal is to enable most consular services to be processed online.
