Anti-Immigration Protests Erupt in Mexico: ‘Respect My Culture’

Protests against immigration and gentrification erupted in Mexico over the weekend with angry residents expressing outrage over rising expenses and cultural degeneration.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shared several photographs from the protests in Mexico City, including one sign that demanded foreigners learn Spanish and show respect for Mexican culture.

“If you are in the United States illegally and wish to join the next protest in Mexico City, use the CBP Home app to facilitate your departure,” the DHS said.

According to the New York Times, the protests, which turned violent on Friday night, “reflected the growing frustrations of many of the capital’s residents, who have watched rents skyrocket and old neighborhoods turn into swanky developments as the city has become a major tourist destination and a base for many so-called digital nomads.”

Since the coronavirus pandemic, stylish neighborhoods like Roma and Condesa in Mexico City have seen an influx of foreigners, coaxed by lower living costs and the opportunity to work remotely.

The surge has helped businesses in areas popular with foreigners and landlords or those renting rooms on long-term stays on platforms like Airbnb. But it has also threatened to make large swaths of the city, where the average monthly salary is about $370, unaffordable to many locals.

Other protesters likened the influx of migrants to Western colonialism.

Others on social media noted the irony of Mexico protesting against migrants, wondering if the U.S. media would give the same critical scrutiny as they would to Americans protesting migrants in the United States illegally.

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