The Role of the Mexican Consulate Network in Assisting Migrant Labor Claims across the U.S.-Mexico Migratory System

Abstract

We investigate the role of the Mexican government in assisting migrant workers in the labor claims-making process across three consular jurisdictions in the United States. Our analysis of administrative documents finds that consular support varies in relation to the local context within which consulates operate and depends on the circumstances of labor issues. We argue that binational claims, which involve migrants that have returned to Mexico, emerge in local economies characterized by cyclical migration of temporary workers and necessitate particular forms of consular support. This study reveals the diverse ways consulates assist workers and offers insight on how local contexts shape consular support.