&quot;Wonder how many Mexicans were in what is now America at that time&quot;<p>About 2-300k total population in CA, NM, AZ, NV, UT, and CO. That was well under the population of several native tribes on the same land.<p>And the ones in NM were not even officially Mexicans; they were loyal to the Spanish crown and refused to pay taxes to Mexico City. When General Kearny arrived in Santa Fe &#x27;46, there was a parade instead of a battle because Mexico and the Navaho would have to stop raiding them now they were American.<p>The Mexican claim to America&#x27;s southwest was just a line on a map -- total indefensible and non credible. In fact, it was just like America&#x27;s border enforcement today.