Yes, it's a common phenomenon that many Americans don't realize New Mexico is a U.S. state, often mistaking it for the country of Mexico, leading to confusion with passports, language, and official documents, a situation New Mexicans frequently encounter and that New Mexico Magazine even tracks in its "One of Our 50 Is Missing" column. This ignorance stems from factors like geography education decline, the state's lower population, and the misleading name, despite New Mexico becoming the 47th state in 1912.