'The President called on us to be very closely connected' to immigrants: Tatiana Clouthier, Director of IMME

By Raúl Ayrala. Península 360 Press. Mexican Press Agency.

Tatiana Clouthier, the new director of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad (IMME), visited the Bay Area over Mother’s Day weekend, where she joined local officials and Mexican consuls in a celebration in Redwood City. She also met with business leaders, activists, and Latino residents in San José.

Clouthier, who previously served as Minister of Economy under President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and as a federal congressional deputy, has led the institute for “about a Lent’s time”—as she put it, meaning just over 45 days. The IMME supports Mexican consulates in engaging with compatriots abroad to provide them with guidance and assistance in their needs.

In Redwood City, Clouthier participated in a colorful celebration organized by Casa Círculo Cultural (CCC), which featured music, dancing, and the presence of local and county authorities such as the city’s mayor, council members, the sheriff, and the Mexican consul in San Francisco, among others.

On a hot and sunny afternoon, Clouthier used the occasion to deliver greetings from Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum. “She has asked us to stay closely connected to the communities abroad,” the IMME director said. Clouthier also proposed an interactive activity, inviting everyone to hold hands with those next to them to form a “great circle,” linking the gesture to the name of the host organization, Casa Círculo Cultural.

She asked the attendees to look to either side “to recognize each other with our eyes, because thanks to circles we can grow, build community, and keep strengthening ourselves to face difficult challenges when they arise.”

After a toast held at CCC, Clouthier traveled to San José, where she met at a local restaurant with a group of businesspeople, union leaders, educators, and community figures. They voiced their concerns and those of the broader Latino community during what they described as a difficult time for immigrants in the United States.

Clouthier listened attentively, took notes, and promised to either personally address the matters raised or refer them to the appropriate Mexican government agencies.

Also present at the meeting was the Mexican Consul in San José, Alejandra Bologna, who suggested the government must update its digital systems. One of the most common complaints among the Mexican community, she noted, is the difficulty in securing appointments at consulates.

Attendees also discussed educational opportunities for the children of immigrants—especially access to universities. Some suggested the need to ally with other Latin American communities to offer mutual support and create joint opportunities, strengthening themselves as an ethnic bloc in the face of the current administration’s anti-immigrant and discriminatory policies.

Clouthier then headed to the Mayfair Community Center in East San José’s Latino neighborhood, where she was welcomed by members of the local community.

Among them was a captain from the San José Police Department who oversees the area and described himself as “the son of immigrants.” He stressed that the police department’s role is to prevent crime, not to engage in immigration enforcement—meaning they do not target Latinos based on immigration status.

Clouthier thanked him and praised the San José Police Department’s position, noting how important such stances are in these uncertain times for Mexican nationals and other immigrant communities.

Statements from the IMME Director

• “There is little in-depth knowledge about what the Institute does. IMME has service windows within consulates working in areas such as education (helping people learn the language of their country of residence, supporting those who speak indigenous languages, and promoting digital skills), and civic education (voting from abroad and understanding local laws to facilitate their integration as residents or citizens and participate politically).” “Financial inclusion services help people learn how to start a business, import goods, use technology, open a bank account or buy property in Mexico, register for Social Security to build a retirement fund if they’re self-employed, and obtain binational debit cards for remittances.”

• “The culture and sports window helps maintain cultural roots by promoting bicultural activities. There’s also a window that provides support for speakers of indigenous languages, offering service and translation in their native tongues.”

• “The health window helps Mexicans integrate into the healthcare system in their country of residence if they face more than just preventive issues. Community health events are also held.”

• “Another function of the IMME is to identify Mexican professionals in similar fields across countries and link them if interested, helping them build on those connections for their projects and careers.”

• Regarding her appointment as IMME director: “Many people questioned how, after being a cabinet minister, I could now take on a role like this… But for me, there’s nothing more beautiful than doing whatever it takes so that Mexican brothers and sisters living far from home can find an extension of their homeland wherever they are. It’s a gift that the President has given me.”

• On the current U.S.–Mexico relationship: “President Sheinbaum is a scientist, and she makes decisions following a profound analysis. They are decisions from the heart. She considers the medium- and long-term consequences. A scientist knows how to wait for the right moment for magic to happen.”

“I think the balancing act on this side [referring to the current U.S. government] is about how to satisfy voters without losing sight of what’s truly needed. Some like to walk close to the edge—but a cliff is still a cliff. That, in turn, helps ensure good results in such a complex relationship.”

Related: ‘Mexico te Abraza’ Program Welcomes Over 38,000 Repatriated Mexicans from the U.S.