> "Typically in these cases, there's actually a source of income."

You mean that there's a demonstrated ability to repay the loan, which isn't the same thing. I say this as a person who has taken many loans in my life, including ones while not working. Anyway that's up to the lender to sort out isn't it?

> "Otherwise I struggle to imagine why anyone without income but with plenty of assets would take out a loan"

Just because you struggle to imagine doesn't mean it isn't common for reasons you don't know or think about. I think this just shows some missing awareness about how things really work in the world more than anything else. Even Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, has billions of dollars in outstanding loans that he could repay today if he wanted to. I think a good place to start is to investigate why.

> "All this feels"

I get it. But I think we've established that you haven't considered the way these systems actually work, so your feelings probably aren't fully contextualized.

> "is this something that actually happens"

Given that I said that I did it personally, why is my story more contrived than the imaginary people in your head that you don't know anything about?

> "They can't get a loan in Mexico?"

I think this question is a non-sequitur. On what basis should someone's right to do something in place A have any bearing on their right to do something in place B?

people commuting across borders just for work is legitimately very common all over the world. Although I'd assume they'd be able to easily secure a loan in at least ONE of those places.