State Department Issues ‘Increased Caution’ Travel Advisory for Mexico

A ‘Do Not Travel’ designation has been applied to six Mexican states.

The seal of the U.S. Department of State is seen in Washington on Jan. 26, 2017. Joshua Roberts/File Photo/Reuters

Americans traveling to Mexico must exercise increased caution because of the threat of “terrorism, crime and kidnapping,” the U.S. Department of State said in an Aug. 12 travel advisory, categorizing the destination overall as a Level 2 risk.

“Many violent crimes take place in Mexico. They include homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery. There is a risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Mexico,” the State Department stated.

While Mexico’s countrywide travel advisory is Level 2 “Exercise Extreme Caution,” the severity of risk varies by state. The State Department has issued a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” designation for six Mexican states: Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas.

A Level 3 “Reconsider Travel” designation has been applied to eight states: Baja California, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos, and Sonora.

“The U.S. government has limited ability to help in many parts of Mexico. U.S. government employees are not allowed to travel to certain high-risk areas,” the State Department stated. “Emergency services are limited or unavailable in remote or rural areas.”

Washington has instituted several travel restrictions on U.S. government employees in Mexico, including a ban on traveling between cities after dark; advisement to avoid traveling alone, especially in remote areas; and a prohibition on driving between Mexican border cities, the interior of Mexico, and the U.S.–Mexico border.

The government has also prohibited employees from traveling in taxis waved down on the streets. Instead, workers have been advised to rely on vehicles from app services such as Uber or regulated taxi stands.

“Due to security risks, U.S. citizens should follow the same restrictions as U.S. government employees while traveling,” the department stated in the advisory.

The department also advised Americans who encounter a road checkpoint to comply with the rules. Ignoring instructions or fleeing can result in injury or death, it warned.

According to a Human Rights Watch report, Mexico’s homicide rate was nearly 25 people per 100,000 residents in 2023. Six cities had rates higher than 100 per 100,000 residents in 2022. Almost two-thirds of homicides are estimated to be committed by organized crime groups.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Aug. 11 that Washington was taking action against Mexican cartels to protect Americans. The announcement followed a Jan. 20 order issued by President Donald Trump that called for the eradication of foreign criminal organizations.

In its Aug. 12 advisory, the State Department advised Americans to sign up for its Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, a free service from the agency that gives real-time updates on safety, weather, health, and security in a foreign nation. Enrolling in the program allows the embassy to contact the individual in case of emergency. The department also advised travelers to check a map of restricted areas.

On July 25, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico issued a security alert over a demonstration in Mexico City.

Previous demonstrations in certain neighborhoods on July 4 and July 20 resulted in properties being vandalized, with some protesters throwing rocks “at people perceived to be foreigners,” according to the alert.

“U.S. citizens should avoid participating in demonstrations that may be deemed political by authorities, as Mexican law prohibits political activities by foreign citizens, and participation may result in detention or deportation,” embassy officials said in the alert.

Members of the Mexican military, in this 2022 file photo. Elizabeth Ruiz/AFP via Getty Images

Other Security Alerts

Multiple other nations have also issued travel alerts for Mexico.

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office has advised against “all but essential travel to parts of Mexico.”

It cited security risks such as high crime, terrorism, kidnapping, scams, and sexual assault.

“Crime is a risk to foreign nationals in Mexico, particularly in major cities and tourist resort areas. Street crime is a serious issue in these places,” the office said in a statement. “Sexual offences have been reported in tourist areas. Take care even in areas close to hotels, and especially after dark.”

Australia has also instituted a security alert for Mexico, citing the country’s high risk of crime.

Canada updated its Mexico travel advice on Aug. 8, asking travelers to “exercise a high degree of caution.”

The Canadian government asked people to avoid all nonessential travel in a number of states including Chiapas, Chihuahua, Colima, Guanajuato, and Jalisco “due to high levels of violence and organized crime.”

According to a July report from Global Affairs Canada, Mexico ranked top for reports of violent crimes targeting Canadian travelers. The report is based on Canada’s annual consular data from the 2023–2024 fiscal year.

Out of the 297 crimes against Canadian travelers worldwide, 52 cases were in Mexico, it said. Out of the 1,500 incidents of Canadians dying abroad, which include deaths from all causes, 204 happened in Mexico.