OPINION: That powerful one-stop shop in Albuquerque: The Mexican Consulate

A John Doe about to go to the county’s indigent cremation program as next of kin has not been identified. A few dozen families lost all they had during the most recent Ruidoso flood. A talented high school student is looking for opportunities for higher education. A small business owner searches for useful connections to grow his business. Hundreds of citizens seek legal counsel.

They all have in common one thing: They are being assisted by the Mexican Consulate, a 175-year-old institution based in Albuquerque that provides services to Mexican nationals living in New Mexico and, since 2022, Northwest Texas. It serves as liaison for New Mexico-based governmental and nongovernmental institutions trying to connect or do business with Mexico.

When you think of a consulate, you may imagine a traditional office issuing passports or birth certificates. What you may not necessarily imagine is that at the same stop, you can book a free immigration consultation or get free representation on your recent car accident, or get counsel from our experts on a child custody case. You can get all those services and your passport, an official document issued in less than 60 minutes. And you can schedule a free mammogram while you wait with our partner agencies, or apply for a scholarship, or learn the necessary tools to check how your retirement fund is being managed in Mexico.

That one-stop shop is the Mexican Consulate — the only one based in New Mexico, integrated by 21 proud Mexican nationals who represent a very important reason why our people come in: trust. The unwavering trust we carry when we represent Mexico.

Police officers and sheriff’s deputies come inside our building on a frequent basis to educate the community, especially during these uncertain times. They remind us they are here to protect people and combat crime. They invite people to report delinquency, as it is the only way to attain a safe community. All kinds of partner agencies also come to our building to educate on cancer prevention, addiction prevention, mental health or other health concerns. It’s a consular model that provides the most integral assistance on a case-by-case basis and makes our people feel home away from home.

Now that I mention home, I say it with nostalgia — that word we all feel when we leave our country of origin behind. All those individuals referred to at the start of this writing have one thing in common: their love for their homeland. Most of them want to return to Mexico, although some won’t ever do so. They have saved for their loved ones and their communities. During their years in the U.S., they lost valuable time with their loved ones. Most missed their children’s golden years. Some were not able to go to a family member’s funeral. They migrated with a clear objective and worked to achieve it. It’s good to remember: We are an extremely hard-working community.

Mexico has the largest consular network of one country within another: 53 consulates in the United States. No one that needs assistance stays without it. But it is not only about assistance. It’s also about empowerment. The consulate is as powerful as the hundreds of local partnerships it has built through years, and those partnerships are only making a stronger binational community.

As we speak, our 24/7 hotline is ringing on the many cases that need assistance, and our consular staff is all over New Mexico helping people in need. Most of those cases originate from consular notification, a right recognized by international law that local, state and federal authorities honor.

So, next time you drive by 1610 Fourth St. in Albuquerque and see our beautiful flag waving, think about my thriving community that is making New Mexico thrive as well. We are partners on the same road we are both building, and although some of us are only starting to realize that, it may be the right time to do so.