Border Issues Today : Is The Us Helping Partner With Mexico? Essay

During the last two centuries Mexican migration to the United States have changed the culture and economic values of this nation. Coming from a country where only the rich can strive and the poor struggles to survive. Mexican immigrants risk their lives to come to this country for an opportunity to a better life and to support their families back home. With their journey to this nation they bring their culture and language, involving the American culture in many ways. They come to also face many negative aspects as well. discrimination, labor exploitation and ultimately deportation. But this has not stopped them from coming to the United States in the last two centuries.

Mexican Border Problems The U.S.-Mexico border region is one of the most dynamic in the world. It extends more than 3,100 kilometers (2,000 miles) from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean, and 100 kilometers (62.5 miles) on each side of the international border and is marked by high concrete fences in the west and a broad shallow river in the east when it reaches Texas. The region includes large deserts, numerous mountain ranges, rivers, wetlands, large estuaries, and shared aquifers. While its people share natural resources like water and air, the border region is characterized by many social, economic, and political contrasts.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, officially ended the war between Mexico and the United States. Even though it happened over 168 years ago, its legacy persists, because the treaty redefined the border and the border region. Under the terms of the treaty, Mexicans who suddenly found themselves living in the United States choose either Mexican citizenship, in which case they would have to relocate south of the new border, or to stay where they were and become citizens of the United States. About 80 percent—a total of seventy-five thousand Mexican people—remained in the United States (Passel, 2011). Since then, continuing economic and political difficulties in Mexico, combined with economic opportunities in the United States, have encouraged the flow of migration from Mexico to the United States in large numbers. Today, Mexican Americans are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States and the estimated Mexican American population in 2000 was 20.6 million people, the largest Mexican population outside of Mexico (Center for Immigration Studies, 2010). Most Mexican Americans entered the United States legally and have become full U.S. citizens, however, the number of illegal immigrants arriving from Mexico has been an alarming and concerning issue in the United States and especially the state of Arizona. Arizona is in a unique geopolitical location in the United States because it shares a 370-mile border with Mexico. Much of the border is open and

This year’s election cycle brought heated debates and discussions about many things; “the wall”, free trade, NAFTA, immigration issues, borders security and policy issues. Regardless of which side of the political isle you stand, which way the political winds sway in Washington D.C., one thing is certain not to change with the election cycle, and that is, the actual physical border between The United States and Mexico. Therefore, if we can’t change that, and we can’t, then there needs to be solutions to problems that continue to exist between the two sovereign countries. Trade and Security are two of the most important factors for neighboring countries and they must not be ignored. Beyond just good political, diplomatic, and strategic vision it is important to understand there are cultural, education and diversity complexities which takes tremendous and often times delicate maneuvering to come together for the greater good of both economies and governments, as millions of people rely on successful trade agreements and security.

Officials are taking steps to curb illegal immigration which include trying to figure out how to handle the current border crisis. There are many solutions to handle the border crisis. One solution would be to establish new policies to help control the crisis. But before new policies are created this country needs a new Congress. Therefore it would be essential to elect an entirely new set of individuals to Congress. Maybe with a new Congress, they would work together so that they could get something done. It is also important to examine the border security policies and asylum processes of other countries. This would help the United States see how other countries handle the asylum process so that they could determine how the asylum process in this country could change.

In regards to the social/cultural approach to nationalism, Gellner states that nationalism is essentially the “general imposition of a high culture on society, where previously low cultures had taken up the lives of the majority”, showing that the culture belonging to one nation is distinct from that which belongs to any other. This also falls into accordance with the ethnosymbolist approach where the nation cannot be properly understood without taking their ethnic lineages into account. When looking at the neighboring states, the United States and Mexico, this is especially true. Examining their colonial roots and the legacies of their independence movements, both were radically different countries “in terms of social conditions, economics, politics and culture”.

The border between the United States and Mexico consists of 1,952 miles of land border that divides a “first” world and “third” world nation. Any border is an environment of opportunity. People flock to borders around the world to exploit the regions’ resources and people. There are always plenty of people at the borders of nations to build large factories, or to traffic narcotics and weapons into neighboring nations.

Coming from a life of poverty and despair would be enough cause for anyone to search for a better life; a life in which there is a belief that all of your biggest dreams can come true. This is the belief that many immigrants have about the United States. They naively believe for it to be the “land of opportunity”. Originally the United States was founded and settled by immigrants. Many immigrants, such as Mexicans, Eastern Europeans, Jews, and others from countries around the world came to America to escape war, poverty, famine, and/or religious prosecution. Some also chose to immigrate to take advantage of the opportunities and promises that America held. One such major group of people is Mexicans. Being a border line country neighbor to

The peaceful relationship between the American and Mexico would not be known by looking at the militarization of our shared border. In recent years, both parties have been talking about fixing a broken border. Serious steps need to be taken to protect the rights of individuals who have risked their lives in order to have better chances in America. We need to address the deadly drug cartel as criminals and not the entire country of Mexico. Also, we need to find a way to permit Mexican migrant workers with programs that help them work legally and void of the dangers of being undocumented. The most detrimental threat propose to fix the border is the proposal of mass deportation.

The United States and Mexico border fence has been a recent debate with the people because of the irresistible flow of Mexican illegal in the United States. Living in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, I may be able to see a huge wall or fence being built on our border with Mexico. Other than the economic recession we have to this day, people still have their views and opinions expressed on another topic, the “segregation” wall. Some express opinions on whether this wall will keep illegal immigrants out, others speak on how this is a total disaster both financially and emotionally as in this wall being referred to as “racist”.

Illegal immigration was an issue in the past and is a pressing problem in the present. The U.S. Government has been trying to find a resolution to this issue for years. The United States approved the Immigration Reform and Control Act in 1986, which allowed the American Government to punish American companies that consciously employed illegal immigrants (Nadadur 1037-1052). The United States’ Government Immigration Reform and Control Act has been unsuccessful in controlling illegal immigration. It is estimated that illegal immigration into the U.S. has a yearly interval of three hundred fifty thousand people (Rousmaniere 24-25). It is apparent that the 1986 act was not able to keep a handle on illegal immigration. Illegal immigration

The United States border with Mexico is one of the most interesting borders in the world. Although it is not a military front like the border between the Koreas or as militarized as the border of Russia and the Ukraine, there is a lot going on that requires attention. The southern border of the United States is different from almost all of those in the world because many of its problems are based off of the economic disparity between each country. The difference between wealth and quality of life is substantial and results in people going beyond regular means to cross the border to have a better life. There is also a large difference in the legal and law enforcement system that is exploited by Mexican cartels to make money through drug and human trafficking. The differences between these two

According to the independent Center for Immigration Studies, in January 2000 there were 7 million illegal aliens living in the United States and the center estimated that number to grow by half a million a year (Peak, 2009, pg. 245). Based on this fact, the reality is that the minority has turn into a majority and has fulfilled the melting pot. Peak explains that ever since the incident of 9/11 the country has taken precaution and other measures to challenge in protecting borders. This even was a remarkable time of history for many citizens

Mexico is one of the most populated and industrialized of the third world nations, yet it remains very impoverished in comparison to it’s northern neighbor. Recently Mexico has been the third largest trading partner of the United States, has become an important exporter of petroleum and plays a pivotal role in the politics of the region. Yet Mexico is frequently treated with neglect and misunderstanding by the United States. This treatment is why Mexico is hesitant about United States influence and investment in Mexico. While many foreign countries acknowledge the United States as a

The 13 million people who live along the United States - Mexican border1 face unique health issues and disparities than their northern and southern residing counterparts. Access to health care is a great health determiner for the many foreign-born residents living in the United States, especially for undocumented immigrants2. The topic to be addressed in this review will include current health issues and accessibility of care for the people living along the US – Mexico border. This study will include infectious diseases, substance abuse as well as issues facing women and children. The combination of many social factors including increased poverty and drug use, limited healthcare and low self-efficacy are all impacting the rates of