Jalisco Mexico Violence: Travel Safety & Immigration Steps

TL;DR

Jalisco Mexico violence surged after Mexican security forces killed CJNG leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, and retaliatory attacks disrupted roads, schools, and flights. U.S. and Canadian authorities have urged people in impacted areas, including Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara, to shelter in place while conditions develop.

If you’re traveling or stuck abroad, follow official alerts, contact your airline, and use consular resources like STEP to get updates and help in an emergency. If this crisis is making you ask immigration questions, there are legal standards that matter, and “general danger” alone often is not enough for humanitarian protection.

We wanted to share what many of you are seeing in real time: major violence has erupted in Jalisco on Mexico’s Pacific side, and the places people usually fly into, Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, are suddenly at the center of a fast-changing security situation.

Flights have been canceled, schools were closed, and governments are telling people to shelter in place.

Below is what the reporting says right now, plus the practical steps we recommend if you’re traveling, waiting on a U.S. consular interview, or worried about family in the region.

Jalisco Mexico Violence: What We Know Today

Multiple outlets report that Mexican security forces killed Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” the leader of the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), during an operation in Jalisco on February 22, 2026.

The aftermath has included road blockades, burning vehicles, and clashes that quickly spilled beyond one city, with significant disruptions to transportation and daily life.

On the travel side, news coverage describes widespread flight cancellations and airport disruption affecting Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara, with airlines pausing service as the situation developed.

Government guidance has also escalated. Canada’s official travel advisory notes shelter-in-place orders in Jalisco and Nayarit, plus major disruptions including flight delays and cancellations. And U.S.-focused travel reporting describes a U.S. Embassy security alert urging U.S. citizens in locations including Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta to shelter in place due to security operations and road blockages.

If You’re In Puerto Vallarta Or Guadalajara Right Now

When your government says “shelter in place,” treat that like an instruction, not a suggestion.
Here’s a checklist you can follow today:

• Stay indoors at your hotel, resort, or other secure lodging and avoid moving around unless local authorities say it’s safe.
• Do not attempt road travel around active road blocks or security operations. Retaliatory violence often concentrates around highways and major routes.
• Monitor official alerts first, not social media. Start with your government’s travel advisory and local alerts.
• Enroll in STEP (or confirm you’re enrolled) so you receive U.S. embassy and consulate messages while abroad.
• Save consular contact info for emergencies. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico publish emergency contact guidance and routing.
• Communicate a simple plan to family: where you are, when you’ll check in, and what you’ll do if flights are canceled again.

If you’re traveling with children, keep it even simpler. Food, water, chargers, medications, and everyone staying put.

If You Have A Flight, Hotel, Or Tour Coming Up

A lot of people are asking one urgent question: “Do I cancel?” I can’t make that call for you, but I can tell you the practical sequence that usually reduces stress:

• Check your airline’s official status and waiver policy before you do anything else. Many carriers issue travel waivers during fast-moving security events, and those windows can change.
• Document disruptions (screenshots of cancellations, advisories, notices). If you need insurance coverage, the paperwork matters. Canada’s advisory specifically notes major disruptions and shelter-in-place conditions.
• Rebook for daylight hours and minimize ground transfers. If you must transit, plan the shortest path between airport and lodging.
• Avoid improvising with road travel to “get around” airport issues. Road blockages are part of this pattern of retaliation.
• Watch official U.S. Mexico Travel Advisory updates, which provide the government’s baseline guidance and links to embassy resources.

The Immigration Angle People Don’t Expect Until It Hits Them

This is the part that brings a lot of you to us: travel chaos can become immigration chaos, especially if you’re mid-process.

If You’re In Consular Processing & Your Interview Is In Guadalajara

If you have a U.S. immigrant visa interview scheduled at a U.S. consulate and you cannot safely attend, don’t “wing it.”

• Follow the consulate’s instructions for missed appointments and rescheduling. Security events can trigger closures or limited services.
• Keep proof of the disruption: flight cancellations, advisory screenshots, lodging receipts.
• Don’t lie or submit fake documents to force a faster reschedule. A misrepresentation finding can create long-term immigration consequences.

If You’re A Green Card Holder Or Visa Holder Stuck Outside The U.S.

If flights are canceled and you’re stranded, your plan depends on your status and your documents.

• U.S. citizens should use consular assistance resources and STEP updates.
• Lawful permanent residents should protect their I-551 card, keep copies of it separate from the original, and contact the nearest U.S. consulate if documents are lost or stolen.
• Temporary visa holders should be cautious about overstays in any country, and cautious about last-minute routing that could trigger missed connections or documentation problems when you re-enter.

If you’re in the middle of a U.S. case, tell your immigration lawyer what’s happening now, not after the fact. Timing and documentation can matter.

Is This Violence A Basis For Asylum Or Other Protection?

When scary things happen at home, it’s normal to think, “Maybe I can’t go back.”

U.S. asylum law has a specific framework. To win asylum, you generally must show persecution, or a well-founded fear of persecution, tied to a protected ground like race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.

That means generalized violence or high crime in a region often is not enough by itself. Many strong cases exist, especially when people are targeted, threatened, recruited, extorted with specific threats, or harmed in ways the government cannot or will not control, but the facts have to fit the legal requirements.

Two other points people miss:

• The one-year filing deadline is real in most situations, with limited exceptions.
• TPS is not automatic, even when conditions are dangerous. TPS only exists if DHS designates a country. Public TPS notice lists do not show Mexico as a designated country as of the most recent listings available through EOIR.

If you’re asking these questions because you’re genuinely afraid, write down what happened to you, who threatened you, why you were targeted, and what you did to seek protection. Those details often become the backbone of a legal strategy.

The Questions People Are Searching For Right Now

When we pulled today’s coverage and travel guidance, the same questions kept repeating across headlines, advisories, and traveler updates:

What Lincoln-Goldfinch Law Can Do For You Today

If this situation is touching your immigration journey, whether you’re stuck abroad, worried about a consular interview, or wondering what options exist for a loved one who is afraid to go back, we can talk it through with you step by step. Schedule A Confidential Evaluation with Lincoln-Goldfinch Law – Abogados de Inmigración, and we’ll help you understand your options, your risks, and your next best move.