Transnational Commerce and Labor Flows

Tony Payan, director of the Baker Institute Mexico Center, testified on transnational labor flows and commerce at an April 10, 2017, hearing of the Texas House Committee on International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Mexico's Young Voters and the 2018 Elections

Mexico's 18-to-35 year old demographic, the largest voting bloc in the country, could have a historic impact at the polls when voters select Mexico's new president on July 1.

NAFTA Does Not Matter as Much as You Think (But Renegotiation Matters a Lot)

Most analysis of NAFTA begins by citing the huge increase in bilateral trade between the U.S., Canada and Mexico since 1993. U.S.-Mexico trade—exports plus imports—has grown three and a half times faster than U.S. GDP since NAFTA began in 1994. If NAFTA were solely responsible for that trade, renegotiating it on more favorable terms might have big payoffs. However, there are seven problems with thinking NAFTA has mattered or can matter very much

Was NAFTA Good for the United States?

NAFTA has neither been the enormous success that its supporters believe, nor the disaster that its detractors claim. Renegotiating NAFTA — or even threatening to repeal it — is not a high-stakes proposition. The treaty simply does not possess the leverage to deliver a major boost or setback to the U.S. manufacturing sector

Mexican Armed Forces and Security in Mexico

For nearly 40 years, Mexico\u27s armed forces have been engaged in tasks more closely aligned with public safety than national security. This issue brief examines the challenges of assigning internal security duties to the military and argues for a new law that governs the country\u27s safety and security

Managing the U.S.-Mexico Border First Requires Defining It

A universally agreed-upon definition of the U.S.-Mexico border region is elusive, to say the least. The area's boundaries vary widely depending on the government entity or academic institution involved. This brief reviews the many officially sanctioned definitions of the region, and explains why a consensus is necessary for effective border management

Security, the Rule of Law, and Energy Reform in Mexico

Mexico has taken a major step to further liberalize its economy. In a historical move, the country opened its energy sector to private and foreign investment in 2013—after more than seven decades of a tightly controlled oil industry. This major structural reform contains the promise of furthering Mexico’s development. There are, however, important issues that need to be resolved before this promise can be fulfilled. One of those challenges has to do with the rule of law. This essay explores three major issues with Mexico’s weak rule of law that threaten to foil the successful implementation of the new reforms and cut short the promise of development. The first consists of the effects violence and organized crime. The second issue is the increasing corruption that prevails in the country. And the third involves the potential for social conflict in the face of contradictory priorities when it comes to natural resource allocation. This essay argues that Mexico must anticipate potential problems in these three areas and resolve them before it can call energy reform a success and reap its benefits

Mexican Armed Forces and Security in Mexico

For nearly 40 years, Mexico\u27s armed forces have been engaged in tasks more closely aligned with public safety than national security. This issue brief examines the challenges of assigning internal security duties to the military and argues for a new law that governs the country\u27s safety and security

Security, the Rule of Law, and Energy Reform in Mexico

Mexico has taken a major step to further liberalize its economy. In a historical move, the country opened its energy sector to private and foreign investment in 2013—after more than seven decades of a tightly controlled oil industry. This major structural reform contains the promise of furthering Mexico’s development. There are, however, important issues that need to be resolved before this promise can be fulfilled. One of those challenges has to do with the rule of law. This essay explores three major issues with Mexico’s weak rule of law that threaten to foil the successful implementation of the new reforms and cut short the promise of development. The first consists of the effects violence and organized crime. The second issue is the increasing corruption that prevails in the country. And the third involves the potential for social conflict in the face of contradictory priorities when it comes to natural resource allocation. This essay argues that Mexico must anticipate potential problems in these three areas and resolve them before it can call energy reform a success and reap its benefits

Alone and Vulnerable: Unaccompanied Minors in the United States and Mexico

Why do unaccompanied minors flee their home countries and what happens when they reach Mexico or the United States?ﾠ This report provides an overview of theﾠperilous journey and the reality of detention centers, concluding that a child-centric approach in both countries should address the needs of these children