Obstacles and Opportunities for Collaboration: the US-Mexico Case

US-Mexico relations on migration, dating back to the 1890s, have gone through several distinct phases: from an era of laissez faire policies to the Bracero Program, from a more unilateral US policy approach to Mexico’s “policy of no policy” stance, and to the current post-9/11 enforcement focus. This report traces the evolution of bilateral migration relations and offers some lessons for the US-Mexico relationship going forward. The history suggests that cooperation, while difficult, is not impossible and can offer benefits for both countries.

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