FROM THE OUTSIDE | US-Mexico: codependent, but…

Por

José Carreño Figueras

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Publicado: 16/6/2025 · 6:46 p.m. MX | Actualizado: 16/6/2025 · 6:46 p.m. MX

For years, it has been well established that the relationship between the United States and Mexico is “intermestic”—what happens in one country affects the other in countless ways.

In recent weeks, there have been fluctuations that demonstrate—sometimes unwelcome and not always clear, but real and at times dramatic—this social, geopolitical, geo-economic, and environmental interdependence.

Each government approaches the relationship differently, and both often act as if the other and its interests simply don’t exist.

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Despite internal consequences, both governments often act without considering how their decisions might affect each other’s interests—yet both are quick to accuse the other of interference whenever displeasure is voiced.

The fact remains that both countries are so deeply intertwined socially and economically that each plays a role in the domestic affairs of the other, even though they may view one another as foreign entities.

Economic and security fluctuations in Mexico have driven millions of Mexicans to migrate to the United States, while the lower cost of living in Mexico has attracted more than 1.6 million Americans to relocate south of the border.

The reforms pursued by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and later by President Claudia Sheinbaum—especially those related to energy and the judiciary—have faced criticism as detrimental to U.S. interests and potentially violating the USMCA trade agreement. Additionally, these initiatives have encountered domestic opposition.

President Donald Trump’s trade and immigration policies have not exclusively targeted Mexico; however, because of the depth of bilateral ties, Mexico has been one of the most significantly affected nations and, in more than one way, one of the countries with the greatest influence on the U.S.

So when the United States discusses immigration issues, there’s an immediate reference to the number of Mexicans living there, whether documented or not. Xenophobic exaggerations about the “threat” posed by migrants disproportionately impact tens of thousands of residents of Mexican origin.

Of the roughly 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S., an estimated five million are of Mexican origin, many of whom reside in cities that are prime targets for immigration raids, such as Los Angeles—forcing Mexican consulates to remain vigilant. Nonetheless, this is primarily a domestic issue for the United States.

Likewise, U.S. authorities have a responsibility to care for the over 1.6 million Americans residing in Mexico. However, their situation is governed by Mexican domestic policy.

In another example of this codependence, this week saw the highlighting of the need for cooperation on security and organized crime through charges in Texas against American businessmen allegedly involved in smuggling stolen oil from Mexico and laundering the resulting profits.

José Carreño Figueras