Are Americans the New Illegal Immigrants? Mexico Thinks So

Mexico City residents, tired of rising rents, crowded cafes, and hearing more English than Spanish in their own neighborhoods, have taken to the streets.

The protest signs were clear: “Mexico is not for sale” and “Gringos go home.”

NEW: Rioters in Mexico City demand that Americans stop immigrating to their country and “stop stealing” their homes.

You can’t make this up.
Locals are fuming that Americans are “imposing their culture” and taking over.

Some went as far to say that “gringos” should be k*lled… pic.twitter.com/47Wx1kbrqY

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 6, 2025

So, if Mexicans can object to foreigners changing their culture and pricing them out, why can’t we?

The Digital Nomad Effect

The backlash stems from the surge of American remote workers who fled big cities during COVID and never looked back.

Lured by Mexico City’s food, weather, and low costs, these digital nomads settled in trendy areas like Roma and Condesa. They brought laptops, dollars, and a different way of life.

Rents soared. English dominated. Suddenly, lifelong residents found themselves strangers in their own city.

Some call it gentrification. Others call it colonization. Either way, the people affected call it unfair.

And that sentiment – that a country should be able to protect its people, its culture, and its economy – is not only reasonable, it’s shockingly familiar.

When Protest Turns Ugly

Let’s be clear though: vandalism and threats are wrong. Period. They don’t solve anything.

If you want to defend your culture, you should start by upholding the values that make it worth defending, like civility and self-control.

There’s nothing noble about threatening tourists or damaging property.

A Mirror to the American Experience

We’ve long known that uncontrolled immigration has consequences. We’ve been told that secure borders are selfish, assimilation is outdated, and nationalism is a dirty word. Meanwhile, families across the U.S. have watched their towns change overnight.

Now, Mexico is the one waving the flag of national sovereignty. It turns out, cultural preservation matters to them, too.

The Real Cost of Displacement

Here in the U.S., we’re having the same conversation. What happens when migration, legal or illegal, undermines local families?

Americans have long traveled abroad, but what we’re seeing in Mexico City isn’t tourism. To be fair, not every “gringo” in Mexico is a villain. Many are polite, curious, and love the culture. Still, good intentions or not, the result is the same: locals pushed out, traditions pushed aside.

Reflections for America

We should pay attention. What Mexico is experiencing is a mirror. If even our neighbors are saying, “enough,” then maybe it’s time for us to revisit our own rules.

We believe in fair play and firm borders. That means holding our immigration policies to standards we’d expect from any country, including Mexico. It means protecting American workers, preserving our culture, and prioritizing citizens when it comes to housing and services.

It also means asking the hard questions about assimilation, zoning, education, and civic responsibility. A nation that forgets its own people while accommodating the world doesn’t remain a nation for long.

So yes, Mexico City is angry. Foreigners have been welcome, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of the locals. It’s a sentiment we should understand better than most.