Washington, D.C. — The U.S. relationship with Mexico is one of the most important international relationships this country has. Over the past decades, that connection has become stronger, making both countries more economically prosperous and secure. The vilification of Mexicans by President Donald Trump threatens to unravel that relationship even as it is passed on to him in arguably the best shape it has ever been.
The Center for American Progress has released a report looking at the state of the relationship with Mexico and how President Trump’s actions will damage this critical relationship. The report offers ways that the United States can strengthen this relationship rather than diminish it.
“Prior to Donald Trump becoming president, the economic and security relationship between the United States and Mexico was the strongest it has ever been,” said Dan Restrepo, CAP Senior Fellow and co-author of the report. “Threats of building a wall, vilification of the Mexican people, and draconian immigration policies are threatening to destroy that hard-won relationship. Last week’s events only make that more likely. This report shows that there’s a way to build on this relationship rather than tear it down.”
Over the past decades, Mexico has emerged not only as the United States’ largest trading partner but also as a player on the global scale. It serves as a bridge between developed and developing economies, a role that has helped advance U.S. interests in the hemisphere. Mexico is not the caricature that President Trump has made it out to be, and while the relationship is and will always be complicated, the difficulties are not insurmountable if the two nations work together.
Among the recommendations made in the report are:
- Tackling migration jointly with Mexico
- Building productive border infrastructure, not walls, together
- Embracing Mexico’s global ambition
- Engaging with elected Mexican counterparts, particularly beyond national capitals
- Encouraging deeper understanding among younger Americans and their Mexican peers
- Connecting civil society to advance transparency, accountability, and the rule of law in Mexico
Click here to read the report.
Source: http://americanprogress.org
