The Mexican government created the "Paisano" Program many years ago to deal with the mexicans living in the US who cross the border, They complain they have been charged with the fee for foreigners, "why?, "we're Mexicans too" many of them say.

The definition of "Paisano(a)" is a person of the same country or region, (fellow countrymen/women) it is a term used more frequently in south Mexico.

The government is not charging the fee since April 14, 2000 but the "Paisanos" must apply for the FME (Forma Migratoria Estadistica) , which would prove their legal status and assure the return of the cars back to the US.

For the first time the government has stopped charging them with that fee (Sonora is the first state to not charge them).

In 1999 the Mexicans (Paisanos) living in the US sent about 8 billion dollars home to Mexico.