THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2026 47 their children’s lives after hearing “Come today, the border will close tomorrow.” We were uniquely positioned to understand the problem and respond. Our comparative advantage has always been listening—knowing what information people receive, how they interpret policy, and which messages move them to action. We began with research, not rhetoric, turning everyday tools into strategic channels. Through more than 60 focus groups across Mexico, we asked migrants what they had heard and what would make them reconsider illegally immigrating to the United States. Those conversations became the backbone of our campaign. The following describes how we used tools at hand to innovate at scale and launch effective campaigns to tackle the problem. Tortipapel: Messaging on the Table In Mexico, tortillas are universal—a daily staple on nearly every table. Recognizing their unmatched reach, we launched the “Tortipapel” campaign to print important migration messages and QR codes directly on tortilla wrappers. We distributed more than one million wrappers to tortilla shop owners in six strategically selected states—areas identified by the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency data as having the highest outmigration and recidivism rates. Shop owners used the wrappers in their daily sales, reaching an estimated 2.5 million people. Phase One shared verified information about safe, legal options, while Phase Two warned that “The U.S. border is closed,” urging migrants not to trust smugglers and to rely on official U.S. sources instead. The campaign’s impact spread far beyond the table. Local media covered the story nationwide. Tortilla shop owners— trusted figures in their communities—became informal ambassadors, correcting rumors and pointing customers to official channels. The project also strengthened our partnership with a Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA) exchange alumnus who founded Tortipapel, a company that uses foodgrade paper wrappers to deliver marketing messages. The Tortipapel campaign became a true force multiplier— a cultural touchpoint carrying accurate information into millions of homes and conversations. Proyecto Plantalla: Reaching Migrants Where They Are We partnered with the International Organization for Migration to turn migrant shelter walls into projection screens, streaming real-time policy updates and Facebook Live sessions straight to migrants. The project reached more than 100 shelters across Mexico and connected with 70 percent of all migrants in transit who used the shelter network. Migración USA: A New Digital Frontier We saw the potential to reach migrants directly and built a messaging platform with funding from the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs’ Public Diplomacy Office (WHA/PDA). With continued support from WHA/PDA and Global Public Affairs (GPA), we expanded it into the State Department’s first official migration messaging network, spanning Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and a verified WhatsApp channel in Spanish. GPA helped brand and certify the accounts as official U.S. government platforms with .gov verification. What began in Mexico quickly grew into a regional communication hub: The WhatsApp network expanded from 30,000 to more than 360,000 subscribers, while our other platforms grew from zero to roughly 600,000 followers across platforms. Together, they now reach audiences across the region and make up the U.S. government’s largest direct-to-migrant communication network. Facebook Live: A First Embassy Mexico City launched the State Department’s first monthly Facebook Live series from migrant shelters across Mexico, bringing our message directly to target audiences. In these sessions, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials answered individuals’ questions in Spanish, ultimately reaching nearly a million viewers. Online, Mission U.S. Embassy Mexico City launched the “Tortipapel” campaign to print important migration messages and QR codes directly on tortilla wrappers along with the embassy seal as shown here. COURTESY OF ANDREA STANFORD
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