US embassy in Mexico prompts outrage with AI video promoting ‘self-deportation’

A recent AI video from the US embassy in Mexico has ignited public backlash by encouraging migrants to consider voluntary return to their home countries. The clip, shared this week on the embassy’s official social media channels, features a group of men in black caps and with tattoos reciting a traditional Mexican ballad called a corrido. The AI voiceover sings, “The corrido rings out loud in your homeland; return to your roots,” accompanied by lines like, “You don’t need to go far to get ahead. Listen to what you say: Mexican power lies within you.” The post also includes a link to CBP Home, a platform designed to assist migrants in the US in organizing their departure to countries of origin.

Reactions from Mexican audiences

The video sparked swift criticism on social media platforms, with users expressing frustration over its messaging. One X user remarked, “What a pathetic commercial,” while an Instagram comment noted, “Your retirees and digital nomads can spend their money in their home country,” alluding to the significant number of US citizens residing in Mexico. Another critic called it “a supremacist message of ‘get back to your country’ with nice words.” Carlos Eduardo Espina, a Uruguayan-American influencer with 14.3 million TikTok followers, shared a reaction video, stating, “How ridiculous,” and criticizing the administration as “truly full of crazies.” His clip received 70,000 views.

“What a pathetic commercial,” said one X user.

“Your retirees and digital nomads can spend their money in their home country,” said a user on Instagram.

“A supremacist message of ‘get back to your country’ with nice words,” said another.

“How ridiculous,” said Carlos Eduardo Espina in the video, viewed 70,000 times.

“This government is truly full of crazies,” said Espina.

Historical context of similar campaigns

This is not the first instance where US government messaging targeting migrants has stirred controversy. Last year, former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem launched a series of video ads urging migrants to self-deport or remain in their home countries. These ads were aired on Mexican television, with Noem stating in one clip, “If you are considering entering America illegally, don’t even think about it. You will be caught, you will be removed, and you will never return.” The current AI video echoes similar themes, prompting the Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, to label the content as “discriminatory.”

Political response and legislative action

Sheinbaum later announced plans to push for legislation in the Mexican Congress to ban foreign governments from running political or ideological propaganda within the country. “We are going to change the law to prohibit foreign governments from carrying out political and ideological propaganda in our country,” she declared in a press conference. The move highlights growing concerns over the influence of US messaging on Mexican public opinion and migration policies.