Mexico Prepares for Large-Scale Deportations of Citizens from the U.S.**

As the U.S. ramps up deportations under Trump, Mexico unveils a comprehensive plan to welcome back its citizens, although experts question its readiness to implement such a large operation.**

Mexico is gearing up to support thousands of its citizens expected to be deported from the United States, a plan termed “Mexico Embraces You.” Detailed this week, the initiative includes the construction of nine reception centers across the border—temporary shelters such as tents in parking areas, stadiums, and warehouses. These centers will be equipped with mobile kitchens operated by military personnel.

The plan was developed over several months, tracing back to the U.S. government's announcements of the largest deportation effort in history, driven by President Trump. The program involves the participation of a wide array of agencies, with 34 federal bodies and 16 state governments in Mexico prepared to assist. Their roles include busing returning individuals to their hometowns, providing healthcare, enrolling them in social programs like pensions and apprenticeships, and distributing cash cards valued at $100.

Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez reassured deportees at a recent press conference: "We are ready to receive you on this side of the border. Repatriation is an opportunity to return home and be reunited with family." Despite President Claudia Sheinbaum's criticisms of the anticipated mass deportations, she has expressed a willingness to also accommodate non-Mexican deportees temporarily.

With an estimated four million Mexicans residing illegally in the U.S. as of 2022, the government feels a responsibility to create an actionable plan, even as doubts linger about its capacity to manage the anticipated influx effectively.