Migration between Yucatán and the United States has been a determining factor in the development of many communities in the state. While the return of migrants has brought visible economic improvements, it has also raised concerns about the possible introduction of elements of the gang culture and organized crime that prevail in several American cities.
One of the main problems faced by migrants returning to their communities in Yucatán is the difficulty in reintegrating into the social and economic environment. Many of them have spent years, or even decades, in the United States, where they were exposed to various subcultures, including those associated with organized crime.
This situation has led some returned migrants to replicate behaviors, ideologies, and lifestyles typical of American gangs, which can lead to conflicts and security problems in their places of origin.
A representative case of this phenomenon has been observed in the community of Oxkutzcab, a municipality in the south of Yucatán with a high rate of migration to the United States. During the period between 2013 and 2015, conflicts were reported between local youth groups that began as simple fights but evolved into confrontations with knives and other acts of violence.
Experts suggest that some of these conflicts are due to the influence of returned migrants who brought with them the gang culture they absorbed in cities like Los Angeles, Houston, and Chicago, where gangs like Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18 have a strong presence.
According to the study by the Colegio de México on return migration in Yucatán, these cases are not isolated. The research highlights that deported migrants or those who return voluntarily may face stigmatization and reintegration difficulties, which in some cases pushes them to replicate behaviors they adopted abroad. Additionally, the use of symbols, clothing, and codes of conduct associated with gangs has been identified in various communities in the state.
Various factors have favored the arrival of these criminal phenomena in Yucatán, such as mass deportations. United States immigration policies have caused an increase in the number of deported migrants, many of whom spent time in prisons where they acquired codes and behaviors of the criminal world.
The lack of job opportunities is another key factor. The economy in many Yucatecan communities cannot always absorb the arrival of hundreds of returned migrants, leading some to seek alternatives to criminal activities.
Stigmatization is added to these two factors. Many returned migrants are perceived as “different” in their own communities, which can lead them to group together and adopt an identity linked to their experience abroad.
To mitigate the negative effects of this phenomenon, experts suggest implementing strategies that allow the effective reintegration of returned migrants, such as job training programs, strengthening the social fabric, and appropriate public policies.
While return migration has brought economic improvements to many Yucatan communities, it has also introduced social challenges related to gang culture and organized crime.
It is essential that authorities and society work together to offer solutions that allow for the effective reintegration of returned migrants and, at the same time, prevent the expansion of these problems in the state.
By Roberto García Hidalgo for The Yucatan Times.
TYT Newsroom
