I know that many middle eastern people arrived in Mexico in the 50's and 60's because of the civil wars and other factors.
But it just dawned on me that although I know plenty of mexicans of middle eastern ascent none of them are muslims, and in fact I've never met a mexican muslim.
Was it that all the refugees that arrived in Mexico were christian to begin with?, did they convert?, or is it simply that I'm biased?
Yes, many of the Lebanese immigrants were Maronite Christians. Names are a clue. . . a family name like "Salem" is often Christian, as in the case of the billionaire Carlos Slim Helu (the "Slim" here was once Salim or Salem). Similarly, names like Hadad, Khoury, Gemayel, Khalil, Aoun. There are also given names which are commonly Christians-- George, Joseph, Michael (Michel), Paul and Elie would be some of the more common.
Modern Lebanese emigration began in the 19th century well before the French Mandate of Lebanon and the creation of Lebanon as an independent state. In the Americas the terms originally used to describe them 'Syro- Lebanese' in North America and 'Turcos' in South America are evidence of this pre-national identification. These terms referred to their cultural and political origin - immigrants from an Ottoman Turkish province. The participation by the Lebanese in mass migration at the turn of the century was phenomenal. By 1914 emigration was running at around 15,000-20,000 a year. It was estimated that around 100,000 Lebanese or one quarter of the entire population was abroad. By 1926 the number of Syro-Lebanese in the largest states in the Americas were 165,654 in the United States, 162,178 in Brazil and 148,270 in Argentina. This early period of emigration is usually characterized as being the product of Ottoman religious persecution. However this account fits more with the emerging Lebanese nationalist project and history than with the actual historical complexity of this emigration. Initially the Ottomans had prohibited emigration but were subsequently persuaded to allow it because of the economic benefits of remittances. While predominantly Maronite and Orthodox Christian there were significant numbers of Shi'i, Sunni, Alawi and Jewish immigrants before 1914
One can ask the question-- how did the Lebanese Christian community become so comfortable with migration? The situation in Lebanon under Ottoman rule wasn't always ideal for Christians, but it wasn't notably bad. I've yet to see a good study, but I suspect that it was more opportunity that attracted them than adversity which drove them. Lebanese Christians were culturally and religiously attached to Greece, to Rome, and to France. As Europe began to outpace the Islamic world in economic opportunity, Lebanese Christians had more familiarity, with culture, religion and language and could more easily make their way West.
Other Lebanese and Syrian communities -- whether Sunni or Druse, Allawi or Shi'a -- had much less expectation of religious freedom overseas, were less likely to speak European languages, and so were less likely to emigrate.
Sources
Almeida, Mónica. “Phoenicians of the Pacific: Lebanese and Other Middle Easterners in Ecuador.” The Americas, vol. 53, no. 1, 1996, pp. 87–111.
Thomas, James G. “Mississippi Mahjar: Lebanese Immigration to the Mississippi Delta.” Southern Cultures, vol. 19, no. 4, 2013, pp. 35–54.
Bierwirth, Chris. “The Lebanese Communities of Côte D'Ivoire.” African Affairs, vol. 98, no. 390, 1999, pp. 79–99.
Truzzi, Oswaldo M. S. “The Right Place at the Right Time: Syrians and Lebanese in Brazil and the United States, a Comparative Approach.” Journal of American Ethnic History, vol. 16, no. 2, 1997, pp. 3–34.
Humphrey, Michael. “LEBANESE IDENTITIES: BETWEEN CITIES, NATIONS AND TRANS-NATIONS.” Arab Studies Quarterly, vol. 26, no. 1, 2004, pp. 31–50.