Crossing the Political Fence

By Ioana Botea

Enthusiasm over Barack Obama’s inauguration has crossed the border to Mexico. The physical tangency between the two countries has rarely been translated into productive cooperation, but expectations seem more realistic than ever given Obama’s promise to reform immigration policy and restore U.S. – Mexican relations. His continued support from Hispanic communities both within and beyond American borders appears unaffected by his decision to visit Canada on his first trip abroad as the President of the United States. Perhaps with the failure of the 2001 “cowboy summit” in mind, Mexicans embrace this return to tradition in hope of more meaningful change.

The top priorities on Obama’s agenda include securing the border and improving the American immigration system. In order to enhance security on both sides of the border, he has reiterated the pressing need to crack down on drug-trafficking and to disrupt arms smuggling and money laundering. Recognizing the urgency of inhibiting both illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations, he admits that “we will be a nation of laws and immigrants” (The Dallas Morning News). Immigration is a fundamental aspect of American society, but the contemporary problem seems to be caused more by the “change in face” of immigration, rather than by the influx of people itself. Nevertheless, Obama embodies this transfiguration and represents, in the words of one Mexican, “the crystallization of a dream” (Cox News Service).

In an increasingly integrated global market, myopic policies are obsolete. Obama thus recognizes the pressure to amend the NAFTA agreement in order to stimulate economic development in Mexico. In an interview with The Dallas Morning News Obama declared, “To reduce illegal immigration, we also have to help Mexico develop its own economy, so that more Mexicans can lay their dreams south of the border.” In addition to increased foreign aid, Obama’s plan includes a bilateral strategy for improving living conditions in border communities. However, reaching over to the southern neighbor would be easier if not obstructed by a wall – for which Obama did vote in 2006. The future of the relations between the U.S. and Mexico depends on the recognition of the interdependence between the two neighbors. The self-serving policies of the U.S. have created problems that Mexico is unable to resolve on its own, and that, even if internal to Mexico, can spillover across the border: Mexico’s failure to create sufficient jobs triggered the wave of unwanted emigration to the U.S. is just an example. Luckily, Obama seems to be aware of the fact that problems provoked by a troubled neighbor do come in bundles.