For many Mexican Americans, Mexico begins with family. It is where our parents or grandparents came from, where we visit relatives, or where we go for vacation.
But Mexico is also one of the world’s major manufacturing and trading economies—and countries far beyond North America are paying attention.
This Wasn’t Just a Diplomatic Visit
In September 2026, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung visited Mexico with an official and business delegation and met with President Claudia Sheinbaum. The two governments said they intend to deepen cooperation in science, technology, innovation, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, education and culture.
The relationship is already substantial. Mexican officials have said more than 2,000 South Korean companies operate in Mexico, and both countries are looking for ways to expand trade and investment.
Why Mexico?
Mexico sits inside one of the most important consumer and manufacturing regions in the world.
Companies operating there can serve a large domestic market while also connecting to North American supply chains.
That has helped make Mexico increasingly relevant to companies in industries ranging from automobiles and electronics to cloud computing, entertainment and advanced manufacturing.
The point is not that every investment announcement will transform the economy. It is that Mexico is being considered as a place to build, produce, hire and sell—not simply as a vacation destination.
What Does Any of This Have to Do With You?
Potentially, quite a lot.
Mexican Americans can bring something unusual to an increasingly integrated U.S.–Mexico economy: familiarity with the United States, a connection to Mexico, and—when they are Mexican citizens—the ability to live and work in Mexico without needing foreign-worker immigration authorization.
That does not automatically make someone more qualified than professionals already in Mexico.
But it can create a useful combination of experience, language, cultural knowledge and legal mobility across the border.
Mexico Doesn’t Have to Be Only Where Your Family Came From
The Mexico your parents left may still shape the way you imagine the country. But it is worth paying attention to the Mexico that exists now.
It is a country attracting international companies, building new infrastructure, developing technology and expanding relationships across Asia, Europe and the Americas.
For Mexican Americans, following those changes is not just international news. It can help us understand the country where we also have family, citizenship, property, professional connections—or possibilities we have not considered yet.
Stay Connected to Mexico
You do not need to move to Mexico or start a business tomorrow. Start by paying attention.
Watch what industries are growing. Notice which international companies are expanding. Follow how cities are changing. Learn where your own profession fits.
The question is no longer only, “Where did my family come from?”
It can also be: What could being Mexican make possible?
