A tale of two homecomings: the fragmented reintegration of first- and 1.5-generation returnees in Mexico

Abstract During the past decade, an unprecedented number of Mexicans residing in the U.S. returned to Mexico. This high level of return migration entails great social, cultural, economic, and political challenges for a country that has long struggled to absorb its young and low-skilled workforce—and that is likely to continue receiving returnees as immigration enforcement in the United States intensifies. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with Mexican migrants returning from the United States, this paper examines the key barriers that returnees face to be able to reintegrate successfully. The analysis shows that first-generation migrants or those who migrated to the United States in adulthood and 1.5-generation migrants or those who migrated as minors with their parents have strikingly different reintegration experiences upon return. Findings also point to a fragmented form of embeddedness, in which returnees may reintegrate along one dimension (social, economic, or psychological) but not others. These insights contribute to the literature on return migration by deepening our understanding of the complexities of reintegration in the Mexican context, with the aim of informing more effective policy responses and anticipating future challenges.