Return to Mexico: Exploring Reintegration Experiences

This study uses the example of Mexican return migrants to contribute to the ongoing scholarly dialogue about reintegration. The paper looks at how migrants experience living in the USA and how their return and post-return experiences influence their reintegration in two locations, one rural (Huaquechula, in the state of Puebla) and one urban (Mexico City). Data collection consisted of 60 in-depth interviews, 30 in each site. Participants were mostly young to middle-aged adults, 35 out of 60 being male. Additionally, key documents such as government policies were analysed in a bid to understand the geopolitics of mobility as well as governments’ policies and practices regarding return. From the analysis, I confirm that return migrants identify (i) the type of return, (ii) the place of return—including economic opportunities and social programmes available—and (iii) the sociocultural environment as key aspects that influence their reintegration process. The analysis concludes that whilst, at times, return can be leveraged to serve specific geopolitical goals, it is also necessary to advocate and develop a robust, comprehensive national reintegration policy, especially for an adequate infrastructure to implement it. Policies should therefore offer sustained instrumental (material assistance), informative (advice and guidance) and psychosocial support throughout return migrants’ lengthy process of reintegration.