Migrants’ countries of origin will play a key role in the success of Obama’s executive actions

In discussions of President Obama’s controversial executive action on immigration last month, most commentators have focused on the role of the U.S. government. Alexandra Délano looks at the part that Mexico’s U.S. consulates will now play, writing that they will have to bear the brunt of providing advice and assistance to the millions of migrants in the U.S. that are potentially eligible for work authorization. She also argues that Obama’s newly announced measures, like his 2012 expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, will have a significant impact in migrants’ relationships to their home and host country. She writes that the gradual change in U.S. immigration policy will allow Mexico to explore new ways of engaging with migrants who have benefitted from these programs, and allow expatriates to better reconnect with their home country.