US visa policy threatens jobs of hundreds of Mexican consulate staff

Nearly 400 employees at Mexican consulates in the United States are at risk of losing their positions as their A-2 visas expire. This restriction, initially implemented in 2016 during the Obama administration, was intended to limit the duration of stay for foreign government workers. Mexico secured extensions that delayed the policy's effects for over eight years, but the Trump administration has maintained the stance without modification.

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They have many years in the United States; they have children, partners, their whole life here. They don't want to start over there.

The A-2 visa category permits full-time officials and employees of foreign governments to enter the U.S. exclusively for official tasks, such as working in embassies or consulates. It is not applicable for commercial ventures, tourism, or personal employment, and cannot be substituted by a visitor visa or the Visa Waiver Program. The policy's origins trace back to 2016.

For many employees who have spent decades in the U.S., the prospect of returning to Mexico presents significant challenges. An anonymous Mexican foreign service official noted that some former employees have remained in the country without legal status after their A-2 visas expired. "They have many years in the United States; they have children, partners, their whole life here. They don't want to start over there," the official stated, highlighting that longer-serving employees face the most complex situations.

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in a situation of vulnerability, as an undocumented person and without work.

Rosa Elvira, who worked for forty years at the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles, is set to leave her post on August 21, with her visa expiring in the summer of 2027. She expressed concern about remaining in the U.S. after her visa expires, fearing she would be "in a situation of vulnerability, as an undocumented person and without work."

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complex

Mexico's Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco Álvarez described the situation as "complex" and confirmed ongoing diplomatic and administrative efforts to extend the staff's stay. "We have been negotiating since the last administration to extend the stay of this personnel in the United States, and through this, we have managed to extend the validity of these visas for more than eight years," Velasco stated. The Mexican government is also exploring internal alternatives within the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE) for those who must return to Mexico.

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We have been negotiating since the last administration to extend the stay of this personnel in the United States, and through this, we have managed to extend the validity of these visas for more than eight years.