Shared Compromise -- Future US-Mexican Border Security Initiatives

摘要

Following the passing of the unilateral Secure Fence Act of 2006 and the continuous increase of violence in the southwest border region, the American and Mexican people question what concrete initiatives the United States and Mexico can undertake to truly improve the security of the southwest border region. This paper compares the Southwest Border Initiative with the future Merida Initiative (Beyond Merida) as available options to improve border security and U.S.-Mexico relations. The paper illustrates the aims, cost, and impact of the three major imperatives encompassed by the Southwest Border Initiative to illustrate its applicability to current and future border security. The author concludes that the Department of Homeland Security's Southwest Border Initiative provides the most effective method of improving border security while concurrently bolstering U.S.-Mexico relations.