▁from ▁the ▁Middle ▁East , ▁were ▁introduced ▁into ▁Mexico ▁by ▁the ▁Sp ani ards . ▁The ▁fusion ▁between ▁Arab ▁and ▁Mexican ▁food ▁has ▁highly ▁influenced ▁Y uc ate can ▁cu is ine . ▁ ▁Another ▁concentration ▁of ▁Arab - M ex icans ▁is ▁in ▁B aja ▁California ▁facing ▁the ▁U . S .- M ex ican ▁border , ▁esp . ▁in ▁cities ▁of ▁Mex ical i ▁in ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Valley ▁U . S ./ M ex ico , ▁and ▁T iju ana ▁across ▁from ▁San ▁Diego ▁with ▁a ▁large ▁Arab ▁American ▁community ▁( about ▁ 2 8 0 , 0 0 0 ), ▁some ▁of ▁whose ▁families ▁have ▁relatives ▁in ▁Mexico . ▁ 4 5 % ▁of ▁Arab ▁Mex icans ▁are ▁of ▁Leb an ese ▁descent . ▁ ▁The ▁majority ▁of ▁Arab - M ex icans ▁are ▁Christians ▁who ▁belong ▁to ▁the ▁Mar on ite ▁Church , ▁Roman ▁Catholic , ▁Eastern ▁Orth odox ▁and ▁Eastern ▁R ite ▁Catholic ▁Church es . ▁A ▁sc ant ▁number ▁are ▁Muslim s ▁of ▁Middle ▁Eastern ▁orig ins . ▁ ▁Fig ures ▁ ▁Notable ▁people ▁ ▁Carlos ▁S lim , ▁business ▁magn ate , ▁invest or , ▁and ▁phil anth rop ist . ▁Form er ly ▁the ▁rich est ▁man ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁S lim ' s ▁parents ▁are ▁both ▁Mex icans ▁of ▁Leb an ese ▁Mar on ite ▁Catholic ▁descent . ▁Sal ma ▁Hay ek , ▁actress ; ▁she ▁is ▁half ▁Leb an ese ▁via ▁her ▁father . ▁Emer au de ▁T ou bia , ▁actress